Native Plant of the Week: White Snakeroot

Family: Asteraceae

Name: Ageratina altissima

Bloom Time: September - October

Flower: White

Soil Condition: dry, moist, wet, adaptable

Light: sun, partial sun, shade

Height: 24-36" tall by 24-36" wide

Native Range: Eastern United States including Long Island

Zone: 3-9

Photos (KMS Native Plants): flower, habit and seeds

White snakeroot is a great plant for late season pollinators. It is adaptable to many different light and soil conditions from sun-shade and dry-moist soil. It also makes a great cut flower and the seeds feed our songbirds. Although there is a purple leaved cultivar, if you allow the straight species to self sow, you will also get some purple tinted plants.

Maintenance: cut back by 1/2 to 1/3 July 4th weekend for a tidier and more floriferous plant

Benefits: pollinators, nectar source, host plant, songbirds eat the seeds

Noteworthy Cultivars: 'Chocolate' - chocolate-purple leaves, very adaptable, 3-5'

Fun Facts: Native Americans used extract from the roots as a remedy for snakebite, hence the common name

Companion Plants: Solidago flexuosa (zigzag goldenrod), Geranium maculatum (wild geranium), Zizia aurea (golden Alexanders), Helianthus divaricatus (woodland sunflower)

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References:

1. https://newyork.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=516

2. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ageratina-altissima/

3. https://mtcubacenter.org/plants/chocolate-white-snakeroot

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