Conoclinium coelestinum – Mistflower

A showy plant for the late summer garden with fuzzy blue flowers that resemble bedding plants in the genus Ageratum. Mistflower is a relative of Joe-Pye Weed and like its relatives it’s a very good nectar plant for butterflies and beneficial insects, such as the Virginia Ctenucha Moth (Ctenucha virginica) shown in the picture. Easy to grow, in moist rich soil it can be a bit too aggressive, spreading rapidly by rhizomes. So give it room to expand or grow it in average moisture conditions where it’s a better behaved plant. Deer and rabbits rarely consume Mistflower because of its bitter foliage.