**Description:** A towering wetland plant with intense, deep purple flower clusters that bloom in late summer.
**Size:** Reaches heights of 4 to 8 feet.
**Wildlife Value:** A major nectar producer that serves as a magnet for Swallowtails and other large butterflies.
**Identification:** Stems are tough and fibrous; leaves are long, lance-shaped, and incredibly bitter, making them deer-resistant.
**Habitat:** Swampy meadows, river floodplains, and damp roadside ditches.