Monarch Magic Flossflower Ageratum houstonianum

Huge, Late Bloomer! I planted one small pot in early May in ground. It didn’t do too much throughout June (must have been focused on roots), but come July, this plant took off! A big gorgeous bloom machine. I had to cut it back because it was so vigorous. I stuck those cuttings in moist soil and quickly had more plants. Full morning and early afternoon sun, on drip irrigation in Potomac, MD. Love this plant. Monarch magnet!!! Everybody asks me about this plant. I tuck little ‘aloha blue’ ageratum in all over my garden for pops of color, but this Monarch Magic ageratum is a large space filler plant. Here we are in late September and it is still absolutely gorgeous.

A friend obtained four of these plants for my patio planters this summer. I have a meadow full of milkweed below the house, and am accustomed to seeing Monarchs (most years) down near the meadow. With this incredible plant up on the patio in my planters, I have literally had a female Monarch on the patio EVERY DAY. She spends up to 1/2 hour at a stretch on the ageratum, totally ignoring the other nectar plants in those same planters. I have watched her check out the salvia and lantana, then immediately move onto the ageratum, where she settles happily for long stretches. Whatever the "secret sauce" in this plant ... it works! I plant to get a flat of these beautiful annuals next spring and add more planters to hold it!