New York Ironweed (Vernonia Noveboracensis) – 1 Gallon Pot

A tall and sturdy North American Native flowering perennial plant that brings color to the late summer and fall garden, New York Ironweed features clusters of brilliant fuchsia-purple flowers perched atop very stiff stems clothed in lance-shape leaves up to 8 inches long. Upon opening, the flowers look like a tall queens crown. Its height of 6 to 8 feet makes it a great choice for a background plant in perennial, butterfly and wildflower gardens. In the wild it is usually found growing in sunny moist thickets along streambanks where it appreciates the consistently moist soil. 

The common name is attributed to certain “iron-like” plant characteristics including the tough and rigid stems and the rusty color of fading flowers and seeds.

Growing 6 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, New York Ironweed is ideal for use as a background plant in backyard garden areas and perennial and wildflower gardens where the soil stays consistently moist to wet. Also makes for a nice accent plant in large container gardens combined with other fall flowering perennials. A fine addition to butterfly gardens, native gardens, bog gardens, wetland gardens, cottage gardens and purple theme gardens.

Suggested Spacing:  3 feet feet apart for mass plantings; 8 feet or more apart for space between plants

New York Ironweed is very easy to grow in most any consistently moist to moist but well drained soil and even wet soil of average to low fertility and full to mostly sun. We suggest at least 5 hours of direct sunlight per day for the most flowers. If you want to keep this one shorter simply cut it back to just above the ground in late spring and it will flush new foliage and flower as normal later in the season.