Vernonia noveboracensis (New York Ironweed)
$8.00
Out of stock
Size: 4-6’ tall / 3-4’ wide
Sun: Full Sun - Part Sun
Soil: Average, Medium-Wet / Adaptable
Bloom Time: Late Summer - Fall
Deer Resistance: 4/5
New York Ironweed is a tall, clump-forming perennial that prefers moist-wet soils, but it can be quite adaptable to varying soil moisture levels and sunlight conditions. In late summer - early fall, it puts out deep purple blooms that attract many late-season pollinators. The tawny-colored seedheads that follow a re also attractive and provide fall and early winter interest. Due to its height, this is a good selection for the back of a garden bed.
New York Ironweed serves as a larval host plant for over 20 species of moths and butterflies, including several that rely on members of the Vernonia genus exclusively. Many pollinators visit the flowers for late season fuel, including the specialist native bee Melissodes denticulatus, which relies on the pollen from Ironweeds. Deer do not typically bother Ironweeds, especially late in the season, though the fresh spring growth may be somewhat more enticing. Planting it alongside grasses or protecting it with a cage can help with this.