By Amy Redfield
I am so glad that I took a chance on Rattlesnake Master at the Native Plant Sale at Shaw Nature Reserve last spring! Since it prefers full sun, I put in in the least shady corner of my nearly full-sun native plant bed, and crossed my fingers. It is the star of the garden this winter!
Rattlesnake Master
One of my favorite plants. The Butterfly House has (or had anyway) a grouping of it with a background of Switchgrass. Stunning!
When we revisited our first landscape challenge winner a few weeks after planting the homeowner told me her kids were learning the names of every plant. “Their favorite is the Ratlesnake Master.”
I think it’s a beautiful plant year round. When in bloom in summer it is visited by a number of butterflies and natives bees wasps and other insects. The sturdy stems will last all winter holding the seed heads upright. I have had good success with them self seeding too. The seed heads serve as “salt shakers” and distribute the seed as the wind blows. I planted three plugs about three years ago and have about a dozen plants now.