native to southeastern PA

This is one of the species I feel is highly underrated. When sited properly in full sun and moist soil with room to breathe, it grows into a robust erect herbaceous form that could be mistaken for a shrub. In fact I sometimes have to remind myself that it’s this and not Hypericum I planted here (both have yellow flowers and similar shape/color leaves).

I included a photo of the deer damage to show that while they may sample it, they don’t seem to like this one that much. This is right at the edge of the property where deer live in a thicket of invasives just waiting for me to go indoors to see if I forgot to spray or protect something. I know they live in there because I snuck around one night at the edges just to see how many I would startle and got at least two snorts from two spots.

Your deer may vary. That photo is also the only good one I have showing how nice this species looks even without the blooms. The reddish stems on new growth, leaves changing from lime green to primary green, and the tan stems, the colors present are rich and vibrant, making the yellow flowers pop. Yes I know green is not a primary color in paint, it is in light though (as in RGB), but primary green refers to primary school – sorry art nerd moment.

The seedheads are really fun, especially for children. Rattlebox has these almost perfect box-shaped seedheads – seed boxes really – with a hole in the center of the top where they scatter about. If you want to have fun re-seeding a species, you clip these stems and rattle them wherever you want them to spread – or have your kids do it. It’s one of the species my kids know how to recognize, at least in fall/winter.

When not sited properly (part sun/shade) or seeds into a spot that’s already congested, you’ll get a tall thin lanky stem. It’ll still grow and bloom but it looks pitiful.