Boy I hate the cold...but it does give butterfly favorite Frostweed an opportunity to show some of its interesting qualities...

How interesting! Tell us about this plant?

Its a native here in my part of Texas, grows in part shade and is a good nectar source for Monarchs and other butterflies. I was intrigued by its form last year and blocked off 2 areas and let it grow naturally. I'd say last year I had about 50 or so. Saved some seed and hope to have at least that much next year. On a hard freeze, the sap oozes out and makes these "ice crystals" with different shapes.

@frostweed has penned some good info on it below:
https://garden.org/ideas/view/...

Thank you Larry for posting about Fostweed and my article too.
You are so nice

Nature is a strange and wonderful thing. I wonder why the plant does that. I wonder why other plants do not do that. I wonder if it would survive in Seattle...

Hello Mary, Here is a nice write up about Frostweed and other plants that also make Ice crystals.
I don't think the others are as spectacular, but you might find some that grow in your area.

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

Does the 'virginica' in 'Verbesina virginica' refer to the state of Virginia?

I think it does, originally plants were named after the place where they were first found and recorded, so it very well could be that Viginia was the place where it was first recorded.

Nice captures, Larry! You must have gotten up early enough to get so lucky! These formations are always so interesting to see!

Along with the verbesina, at my house, I get frost flowers on dog fennel, and salvia coccinea, and even richardia!

While enjoying the ice formations on the verbesina, I noticed that the songbirds were eating the seeds... too bad that I couldn't get the camera to focus fast enough...

That's good to know, stone! Another plant that does that is Pluchea odorata. I need to try to get some good pictures next time I see the formations.

I have never heard of Frostweed, and certainly never seen it. Fascination, thank you for the post.

You are welcome Laurie, plants can be a lot of fun.

Good to know on the 'Pluchea odorata' as it grows around here in brackish wetland areas.

"Sweet-scented camphorweed is a native plant found in saline and brackish marshes in New England. This species is one of few plants that exhibit "crystallofolia" (frost flowers or ribbons), unusual feathery or ribbon-like ice formations that sometimes appear on a plant during frost events, due to water being emitted along the stem or near the base of the dormant plant during freezing."

https://gobotany.newenglandwil...