Vernonia noveboracensis
A tall North American native perennial in the Asteraceae about 4–8 feet tall with lance-shaped leaves and late-summer to fall clusters of purple flowers in moist habitats, attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Common Names
New York Ironweed, Ironweed, New York Flat Tops
Summary
New York ironweed is a tall eastern North American native perennial in the Asteraceae, forming stiff upright clumps about 4–6 ft tall and 3–4 ft wide, with many stems and lance-shaped, rough leaves, and from midsummer to early autumn bears loose clusters of deep purple disk florets (no ray florets) atop the stems, attracting butterflies and bees, with stems persisting through winter, cultivation and uses: prefers full sun and moist to average-moist soils; tolerates clay soils and a wide pH range from acidic to alkaline, and is hardy in USDA zones 5–9; propagation by seed or division, deadheading prolongs flowering and reduces self-seeding, deer resistant and suitable for back borders, native meadows, cottage gardens, rain gardens, erosion-control plantings, and as a cut flower.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
4-6 feet
Spread
3-4 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 5-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Sun and Partial Shade.
Soil Type
Moist, loamy soil
Soil Drainage
Moist but well-drained soil
Soil pH
Tolerates all pH levels, Slightly acidic to neutral
Bloom Color
Purple
Bloom Time
Summer and Fall
Foliage Color
Deep Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Medium
Seasons of Interest
Summer and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds, hummingbirds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (L.) Michx.
- Publication
- Fl. Bor.-Amer. (Michaux) 2: 95. 1803 [19 Mar 1803]
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Subfamily
- Vernonioideae
- Tribe
- Vernonieae
- Genus
- Vernonia
Synonyms
Vernonia rugeliana Serratula praealta Cacalia noveboracensis Serratula caroliniana Serratula noveboracensis Vernonia tomentosa Chrysocoma noveboracensis Vernonia noveboracensis var. noveboracensis Vernonia harperi Aster giganteus Vernonia noveboracensis f. noveboracensis Behen praealtum Vernonia noveboracensis var. tomentosa Behen noveboracense Vernonia praealta var. praealta Vernonia tomentosa Chrysocoma tomentosa Vernonia noveboracensis