2027 Perennial Plant of the Year Announced
July 29, 2026 | 3 min to read
East Lansing, Mich. – Vernonia ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ (PP28556) has been selected as the 2027 Perennial Plant of the Year® by members of the Perennial Plant Association.
“What makes ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ so appealing is its refinement and versatility. It brings the pollinator-friendly wildness and late-season drama of native ironweeds to gardens, but at a more manageable scale. The elegant foliage and larger flowerheads deliver a rich, purple punch, making it a perfect fit for cultivated spaces,” said Shannon Currey, horticulture educator at Izel Native Plants.
Commonly known as Ironweed, Vernonia ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ is covered in sprays of dark purple flowers from early September through mid-October. During its bloom period, it attracts butterflies and bees while providing the pollinator benefits of native ironweeds in a more compact form. The plant grows in a clump approximately 40 inches wide by 36 inches tall, and its fluffy seed heads persist throughout the winter.
‘Summer’s Swan Song’ originated from a cross between Vernonia lettermannii (native to western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma) and Vernonia angustifolia (native to the Southeastern Coastal Plain from North Carolina to Mississippi) ‘Plum Peachy.’ The hybrid was developed by Dr. Jim Ault at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Vernonia species are also found throughout much of the eastern and central United States.
Scott Beuerlein, host of the Let’s Garden Podcast and manager of Botanical Garden Outreach at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, praised the plant’s landscape performance.
“‘Summer’s Swan Song’ is sized right for almost any garden. Its form doesn’t lean, flop or fall, with finely textured foliage and bright purple flowers at a time when most gardens are calling it a season. Just give it full sun, any reasonable soil, some water during heavy drought, and let it do its thing. It’s deer-resistant and is an all-star native that benefits pollinators. ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ is everything you could want in a perennial!”
The plant performs best in full sun and tolerates a wide range of soil types and moisture levels. It is highly resistant to powdery mildew and rust, helping the foliage remain attractive throughout the growing season.
‘Summer’s Swan Song’ is an excellent choice for mass plantings in pollinator gardens, rain gardens and naturalistic landscapes. It pairs well with asters (Symphyotrichum spp.), black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Joe Pye weeds (Eutrochium spp.), sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum).
About the Perennial Plant of the Year® Program
The Perennial Plant of the Year® program began in 1990 to recognize outstanding perennial plants that excel in the landscape. Winning selections are chosen for their adaptability across a wide range of climates, low maintenance requirements, multiple seasons of interest, and resistance to pests and diseases.
Each year, the Perennial Plant Association Board of Directors reviews nominated plants and selects three or four finalists for member voting. Members also nominate candidates for future ballots and receive marketing resources and images to help promote the annual Perennial Plant of the Year® selection.
Learn more about the 2027 Perennial Plant of the Year® at perennialplantoftheyear.com.
About the Perennial Plant Association
The Perennial Plant Association is a trade association composed of growers, retailers, landscape designers and contractors, educators, and other professionals involved in the herbaceous perennial industry.
With a mission to connect professionals, provide education and promote perennial plants, the association has served the horticultural industry since 1984.