The Missouri and Illinois native Purple Rocket, Iodanthus pinnatifidus, adds pretty pale lilac to white flowers to the shade garden. In late spring into early summer, softly fragrant light violet flowers appear on tall stems. The flowers fade to white as they age. Elongated seed pods follow the flowers. Purple Rocket grows in part shade and even tolerates dark shade.

Use Purple Rocket in wildflower, naturalized areas, and woodland gardens. It attracts butterflies and other important pollinators. It grows 1-3′ tall. Purple Rocket will tolerate short periods of standing water, making it ideal for shady rain gardens.  It adds much-needed color to shady areas. Good for areas with moist soils.

Growing instructions: plant in rich soil amended with compost or other organic matter. It can grow in average, medium to wet soils in part shade to full shade, part shade being ideal. Plants may spread by self-seeding.