Wingstem, Yellow Ironweed, Actinomeris alternifolia, Ridan alternifolia
Very tall, Verbesina alternifolia (Wingstem) is a clump-forming perennial boasting large dome-shaped clusters of bright yellow daisies in late summer to fall. Blooming for 4-6 weeks, they are attractive to bees, butterflies, and skippers. The blossoms are borne atop strongly upright, stiff, hairy stems adorned with our raised ridges, hence the name ‘wingstem’. Each luminous flower, 1-2 in. across (2-5 cm), features up to 10 reflexed, yellow ray florets and a slightly darker yellow center disk. Their real charm is the disk of tiny florets, projecting outward like a pincushion with thick needles. A single one-seeded fruit (achene) is produced by each disk floret. It may be dispersed by strong wind or carried by birds and other animals. The foliage of olive-green, elliptic, or lanceolate leaves, 4-12 in. long (10-30 cm) is rough. Native to sandy or rocky mesic soils of floodplains, woodlands, thickets, ditches, and prairies in eastern and central North America, Wingstem spreads by rhizomes and self-seeds extravagantly, forming colonies over time. It is best suited as a background planting in a native plant garden or wildflower meadow. A good food source for insects and birds, it is not favored by deer.
Hardiness |
4 - 8 |
---|---|
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Compositae |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Late) Fall |
Height |
4' - 8' (120cm - 240cm) |
Spread |
2' - 6' (60cm - 180cm) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Average |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Midwest, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin |
Tolerance | Deer |
Attracts | Bees, Butterflies |
Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow |
Hardiness |
4 - 8 |
---|---|
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Compositae |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Late) Fall |
Height |
4' - 8' (120cm - 240cm) |
Spread |
2' - 6' (60cm - 180cm) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Average |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Midwest, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin |
Tolerance | Deer |
Attracts | Bees, Butterflies |
Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow |
How many Verbesina alternifolia (Wingstem) do I need for my garden?
Plant | Quantity | |
---|---|---|
Verbesina alternifolia (Wingstem) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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