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Vernonia fasciculata (Prairie Ironweed)

Prairie Ironweed, Common Ironweed, Smooth Ironweed

Vernonia fasciculata, Prairie Ironweed, Common Ironweed, Purple Flowers, Purple Perennials, Butterfly Plants, Pollinators Plants
Vernonia fasciculata, Prairie Ironweed, Common Ironweed, Purple Flowers, Purple Perennials, Butterfly Plants, Pollinators Plants
Vernonia fasciculata, Prairie Ironweed, Common Ironweed, Purple Flowers, Purple Perennials, Butterfly Plants, Pollinators Plants

Providing a pop of tall color in the late-season garden, Vernonia fasciculata (Prairie Ironweed) is an upright perennial boasting dense clusters of tiny, fluffy, intense violet-purple, finely petaled flowers from mid-summer to early fall. Attractive to bees and butterflies, the blossoms are borne atop stout, upright stems bearing numerous linear to lance-shaped, coarsely-toothed, deep green leaves, 5 in. long (12 cm). The flowers give way to rusty seed clusters, which are carried by the wind. Found in prairies, meadows, and pastures with sandy, loamy soil, Prairie Ironweed is not an aggressive spreader but can become weedy. Care should be taken in planting it, especially in smaller gardens. However, because of its height, it is suitable for borders, screens, and for native and cottage gardens.

  • Grows up to 2-6 ft. tall and wide (60-180 cm) in sunny conditions, and slightly less in shadier spots.
  • Performs best in full sun in average, medium to wet soils. Tolerate brief seasonal flooding.
  • Excellent choice for the back of borders, cottage gardens, wildflower gardens, rain gardensprairies, and meadows.
  • No serious pest or disease issues. Deer resistant.
  • Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering and avoid unwanted self-seeding.
  • Easily grown from seed. Seeds require at least 60 days of cold stratification for germination.
  • Native to south-central Canada to central and eastern United States.

Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 9
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Compositae
Genus Vernonia
Common names Ironweed
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Mid, Late)
Fall
Height 2' - 6'
(60cm - 180cm)
Spread 2' - 6'
(60cm - 180cm)
Spacing 24" - 72"
(60cm - 180cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average, High
Soil Type Clay, Loam
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Moisture Retentive
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United States, Northeast, Massachusetts, New York, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Midwest, Minnesota, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Southeast, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky, Southwest, Oklahoma, Rocky Mountains, Colorado, Montana
Tolerance Deer, Wet Soil
Attracts Bees, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Rain Gardens
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Vernonia ‘Summer’s Swan Song’ (Ironweed)
Vernonia arkansana (Arkansas Ironweed)
Vernonia lettermannii ‘Iron Butterfly’ (Narrowleaf Ironweed)
Vernonia angustifolia (Tall Ironweed)
Vernonia baldwinii (Western Ironweed)
Vernonia missurica (Missouri Ironweed)

Recommended Companion Plants

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Heliopsis helianthoides (False Sunflower)
Euphorbia corollata (Flowering Spurge)
Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s Root)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

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Vernonia (Ironweed)
For the Love of Bees: Best Flowers to Attract them to Your Garden
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 9
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Compositae
Genus Vernonia
Common names Ironweed
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Mid, Late)
Fall
Height 2' - 6'
(60cm - 180cm)
Spread 2' - 6'
(60cm - 180cm)
Spacing 24" - 72"
(60cm - 180cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average, High
Soil Type Clay, Loam
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Moisture Retentive
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United States, Northeast, Massachusetts, New York, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Midwest, Minnesota, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Southeast, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky, Southwest, Oklahoma, Rocky Mountains, Colorado, Montana
Tolerance Deer, Wet Soil
Attracts Bees, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Rain Gardens
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Guides with
Vernonia (Ironweed)
Not sure which Vernonia (Ironweed) to pick?
Compare Now

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