From New York west to Texas, hoary skullcap (incana means old gray or white hair…syn. hoary) can be found in open prairies, forest and stream edges, and the always popular natural ecoregion…highway right of ways. The 3′ tall stems, clothed in oppositely-held green leaves, are topped from mid-June through September with terminal clusters of hairy blue larkspur-like flowers. S. incana is attractive in flower, but the stems don’t always remain upright after a tough night (sound familiar?), so plant these among more stalwart members of the perennial border for support when they’re going through difficult times.
