While we have had more rain and less extreme temperatures, August is a month when plants and animals settle back to conserve themselves during the hottest month of the year. There is not much color, except for the hardy Wooly Ironweed (Vernonia lindheimeri) that loves the dry hot summer weather. This plant flourishes in soil that is well drained so it grows in loamy or sandy areas as well as rocky areas that provide a way for water to run off. Butterflies and native bees also rely on the Ironweed. The Painted Lady butterfly's larvae particularly appreciated the leaves.The roots of the plant have boiled as a tea to purify the blood and reduce fevers as well as in a poultice to treat snakebites.
