Vernonia acaulis

Common Names

Ironweed, Stemless Ironweed

Summary

Stemless ironweed is a perennial native to the southeastern United States, with Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina among its confirmed locations, it forms a basal rosette of leaves, with stems 36 to 42 inches tall rising from the center, and blooms in late summer with saturated violet colored flowers, rusty colored seed clusters highlight its ironlike character, it tolerates full sun to partial shade and prefers well drained to dry, sandy soils, with an adaptable soil pH and average to dry moisture, hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9, it fits into meadow and woodland landscapes alongside other late summer bloomers such as blue-stemmed goldenrod, narrowleaf silkgrass, aromatic aster, and black-eyed Susan, providing color when many perennials have faded

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

36 inches

Spread

1-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained to dry, sandy soils

Soil Drainage

Well-drained to dry soils, preferably sandy.

Soil pH

Tolerates a range of soil pH

Bloom Color

Purple

Bloom Time

Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Summer and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds