Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Crazytwoknobs
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Plantaginaceae
- Genus:
- Veronicastrum
- Species:
- Veronicastrum virginicum
- USDA Symbol:
- VEVI4
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pale pink, pale blue, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Culver's root borer moth (Papaipema sciata)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black and gold bumble bee (Bombus auricomus), Brown-belted bumble (Bombus griseocollis), Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Confusing bumble (Bombus perplexus), Half-black bumble (Bombus vagans), Lemon cuckoo (Bombus citrinus), Pyrobombus Dalla, Red-belted bumble (Bombus rufocinctus), 🛑Rusty-patched bumble (Bombus affinis), Two-spotted bumble (Bombus bimaculatus), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock following fire; historically found in fire-maintained prairies and meadows.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers moist meadows and open woods
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and do not cover. Cold stratification improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Source: Claude AI
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 4C for 3 weeks, then place @ 20C. Requires light / surface sow (fine seed). | Requires scarification.