Veronicastrum virginicum Pink Glow

Veronicastrum virginicum 'Pink Glow' is a tall perennial with a long summer flowering in slender and dancing, fluffy spikes covered in tiny pale pink flowers. This airy and noble, extremely hardy plant thrives in moist to wet soils, in semi-shade. It will settle in the back of the border, or on banks and near water.

Veronicastrum virginicum is native to the eastern United States, specifically from floodplain prairies, banks and wet ditches from Manitoba to Florida, passing through Oregon and Arkansas. 'Pink Glow' is a variety of this deciduous tall herbaceous perennial with pale pink flowers. It quickly forms an upright tuft of numerous stems covered with quite dark foliage. In bloom, this plant will reach 1.40 m (5ft) to 1.60 m high (5ft) with a spread of about 70 cm (28in). The flowering period is long, from June to September, staggered depending on the climate. The stems divide at the top into thin, long spikes carrying a myriad of small, nectar-rich flowers, about 20 cm (8in) long. The deciduous foliage is composed of compound and whorled leaves; the lanceolate, rough and dentate, shiny dark green leaflets are arranged in a star around the stem. This plant does not like to be moved and expands over time, forming beautiful, slender clumps.

Plant Veronicastrum virginicum 'Pink Glow' in semi-shade, wherever the soil is consistently moist as they don't like drought and scorching sun. They do not like to be moved, but do not take up too much space on the ground. They bring rhythm and height to borders, near water, with Vernonia, willowherbs, and Astilbes. They will be highlighted against a dark background, such as the purple foliage of hazels, maple trees with plane-like leaves, or perennial plants like Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona' and Osmunda regalis 'Purpurascens' fern.