do you have your ironweed yet. It grows everywhere in the cincinnati area where I live. Do you want rootstock also?

Found link for seed collection. Evidently they get fluffy and that's the time to harvest...before they fly away. Before getting "fluffy" evidently they form a "nutlet" according to other seed vender's sites. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/seedsave/msg0810535022712.html I have some that self-seeded but that may have been because the plant ended up face first in the mud last year after a Fall storm just at the right time. After 2 days of downpours and 30 MPH winds the Veronia is now face first in the mud again but seeds aren't ripe. I'll stake up and hope they dry out. Link below is from Tom Clothier site with tons of germinating information that I use a lot. You may already be familiar with it. "Vernonia altissima, baldwinii, crinita, fasciculata, missurica, noveboracensis, and novaborensis, Sow at 4ºC (40ºF) for 12 wks, move gradually to 20ºC (75ºF) for germination" Looks like a possible candidate for winter sowing outdoors even with low germination. According to this next site it's easier to start in early summer but germination may still not be great. They say it takes 4 years to bloom. http://www.riwps.org/New_York_Ironweed.pdf Wildflower Farm gives germination instructions but doesn't warn about low germination. http://www.wildflowerfarm.com/index.php?p=product&id=114&parent=28 Lady Bird Johnson/Wildflower.org has info also: Propagation Description: Sow seeds in fall or provide cold stratification. Germination is usually low so sow thickly. Also propagated by softwood cuttings taken in late spring or by division of clumps. Seed Collection: Nutlets mature 3-4 weeks after the blooming period. Store dry in sealed, refrigerated containers. Seed Treatment: This species requires or benefits from a three month period of cold-moist stratification in the refrigerator. Commercially Avail: yes I originally purchased my 2 plants as small yearlings. They grew well enough to bloom sparsely first Spring after fall planting. I don't have the patience to wait 4 years for blooming but I'm babying along the selfsown seedlings anyway. I have trouble ripping out special seedlings but definitely won't with the Veronia now that I know what low germination rate they have. Good luck. Here is a link that might be useful: Veronia noveboracensis Germination

I'm sure that most of the plants on your lists are great and have some wildlife value, Anna, but the ones that jump out at me are - Castillega indivisa/Indian paintbrush - I can only drool at pictures of this beautiful host for buckeyes and fulvia checkerspots since it doesn't occur here, but it's also a good nectar plant for butterflies, and, judging by the looks of the flowers, for hummingbirds, also. It's supposed to be impossible to transplant, but it can be propagated from seeds. If I lived in Oklahoma, I'd order seeds and sow them in a meadow with native grasses - most members of the snapdragon family are parasitic or partially so on grass roots. Centaurea americana - you already have plenty of this - I'd make sure it stays! Antennaria and Artemesia - Both these are host for American ladies, and, if they're as tough as the cudweed in my area, they should be easy to grow. Asclepias, spp. - All of these are desirable, both as hosts for monarchs and the nectar in their flowers, which are real popular with all butterflies. Asters - These give beautiful flowers in the fall that butterflies nectar on, and they're supposed to host pearl crescents. I've planted some rice button asters to add to the naturally occurring asters in hopes of getting PC cats someday. Desmodium - This is the principal host plant for long-tailed skippers in my area - it's VERY easy to grow! Liatris pycnostachya - I just love this beautiful plant, and butterflies love to nectar on the flowers. Tephrosia virginiana/Goat's rue - As far as I know, this plant doesn't host any butterfly, and I've never seen any butterflies or hummers nectaring on the flowers, but it thrives on the poorest, driest, most eroded, pure red/orange clay parts of my property. The rainbow of pastel colors of the flowers is charming, and it might be useful as a host or nectar plant to something - I don't get to the parts of my property where it grows too often. Sherry

This listing of plants with flowers that attract butterflies was submitted by forum members from throughout the U.S., and from many plant hardiness zones. They grew or personally observed these plants and their butterfly visitors. You should observe what nectar plants perform well in your area when deciding what to plant. Plant zones only indicate the lowest cold temperature in winter, which is just one small part of growing plants. Other factors - heat, exposure to sunlight, rainfall, drainage, humidity, soil type, soil PH, and how well or poorly a person takes care of their plants - have a lot more to do with whether or not a plant succeeds or fails than just the zone. Anise-scented sage - Salvia guaranitica Autumn sage - Salvia greggii Aster - Asteraceae Spp. Bee balm - Monarda spp. Black-eyed susan - Rudbeckia spp. Blue Porterweed - Stachytarpheta jamaicensis Bottlebrush tree - Callistemon spp. Brazilian verbena - Verbena bonariensis Butterfly bush - Buddleia davidii (and various hybrids) Buttonbush - Cephalanthus occidentalis Butterfly weed - Asclepias tuberosa Carolina jessamine - Gelsemium sempervirens Carpetweed - Phyla nodiflora Citrus blossoms - Citrus Spp. Common thistle - Cirsium spp. Copper Canyon daisy - Tagetes lemmonii Coral plant - Jatropha multifida Cosmos - Cosmos sulphurus Dutchman's pipevine - Aristolochia Spp. Elephant foot - Elephantopus spp. Firebush - Hamelia patens Giant hyssop - Agastache (A. foeniculum x rugosa) var. 'Blue Fortune' Golden dewdrop (or skyflower) - Duranta repens Gregg's mist flower - Eupatorium greggii Ironweed - Vernonia spp. Joepye weed - Eupatorium fistulosum Lantana - Lantana camara Licorice plant - Helichrysum petiolare Marigolds - Tagetes spp. Mexican bush sage - Salvia leucantha Mexican flamevine - Senecio confusus Mexican heather - Cuphea hyssopifolia Mexican petunia - Ruellia brittoniana Mexican sunflower - Tithonia diversifolia Morning glory - Ipomeae spp. Night blooming jessamine - Cestrum nocturnum Pentas - Pentas lanceolata Periwinkles - Vinca spp. Pineapple sage - Salvia elegans Pineland lantana - Lantana depressa Phlox - Phlox spp. Purple coneflower - Echinacea purpurea Scarlet (or tropical) milkweed - Asclepias currasavica Shrimp plant - Justicia spp. Spanish needles - Bidens alba Stokes aster - Stokesia laevis Sweet pepperbush - Clethra spp. Tropical red sage - Salvia coccinea Turk's cap - Malvaviscus drommondii White snakeroot - Eupatorium rugosum Wild sage - Lantana involucrata Zinnia - Zinnia elegans, Z. haageana, and Z. linearis