Heralding the transition from summer to fall, ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ erupts in sprays of deep purple flowers from early September to mid-October. ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ is a magnet for butterflies and bees during its six- week bloom period, providing the pollinator benefits of our native ironweeds in a smaller package.
While some ironweeds reach up to 10 feet or more, ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ fits easily into most gardens, remaining a compact clump 36 inches tall by 40 inches wide. The narrow olive-green leaves on reddish stems give ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ a feathery texture, and the rounded mounds are less prone to lodging due to the interlocking nature of the elongated inflorescent branches. After blooming, seed heads resembling fluffy pom-poms carry interest through the winter.
This plant requires full sun and tolerates a range of moisture levels and soil types. The foliage of ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ looks pristine throughout the season thanks to its excellent powdery mildew and rust resistance.
‘Summer’s Swan Song’ adds a delicate texture in spring and summer before bursting with a pop of late-season color. It is well suited for mass plantings, pollinator gardens, and rain gardens—its tidy habit fits into traditional borders and naturalistic plantings alike. Incorporate it among medium-sized perennials such as asters (Symphyotrichum spp.), black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.), and little bluestems (Schizachyrium scoparium), or in the foreground of taller Joe Pye weeds (Eutrochium spp.), sunflowers (Helianthus spp.), and switchgrasses (Panicum virgatum).
