Veronicastrum virginicum Challenger

Veronicastrum virginicum Challenger is a tall deciduous perennial with a long summer flowering in fluffy, dancing, candelabra-shaped spikes covered with tiny pale pink flowers. This airy, elegant, sculptural and extremely hardy plant thrives in moist to wet soils, in partial shade. It will grow on riverbanks and around water.

Veronicastrum virginicum is native to the eastern United States, specifically floodplains, riverbanks, and wet ditches from Manitoba to Florida, passing through Oregon and Arkansas. Challenger is a selection by Piet Oudolf. It is a variety of this immense herbaceous perennial with pale pink flowers. It quickly forms an upright clump of numerous stems covered with quite dark foliage. When in bloom, this plant reaches 1.20 m (4ft) high with a spread of about 50 cm (20in). The flowering period is long, from June to August, depending on the climate. The fine and long 20 cm (8in), fluffy spikes gather a large number of tiny pink flowers and are loved by pollinating insects. The deciduous foliage is composed of leaves arranged in whorls; the lanceolate, rough, dark green leaflets are arranged in a star shape at different levels of the stem.

Plant Veronicastrum virginicum in partial shade, wherever the soil is permanently moist, as they hate 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 flower beds and around water. They are highlighted against a dark background, such as the purple foliage of Hazels or Sycamore Maples among trees, or perennials like Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona', the fern Osmunda regalis 'Purpurascens'. They also beautifully complement Filipendulas.