Vernonia

Another large genus of plants in the Asteraceae family, but relatively underused in UK gardens. From our experience, upright perennials, of good size, flowers, white to purple-pink, more like Cirsium rather than Aster.

The tiny flowers that form the flowerheads that make up the clusters of Vernonia together provide a huge nectar and pollen resource, which is of great significance to late-summer garden wildlife, attracting especially honeybees, hoverflies and a range of butterflies.