western ironweed
Vernonia baldwinii
USDA zones3 to 9
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size3 to 5 feet tall12 to 18 inches wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Purple
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Western ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii) is a perennial for borders and low maintenance gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun and dry to moist, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Red-violet flower clusters look fuzzy and bloom from summer until frost. Deer tend to browse other plants first. It spreads by rhizomes, so give it room.
Pairs well with Showy milkweed, Foxtail barley, and Princeton Sentry maidenhair tree.
Native range
Central and southern United States.