Asteraceae
Missouri ironweed
Vernonia missurica
Also known as Vernonia drummondii, Vernonia aborigina, Prairie ironweed, Vernonia missurica
Flowering Plants · Native Plants · Native · Wildflower · Pollinator · Purple Flowers · Prairie · Perennial · Late Summer · Butterfly Garden · Midwest · Naturalized
Missouri ironweed is a tough, upright native perennial producing vivid purple flower clusters in late summer that are irresistible to butterflies and bees. It grows best in average to moist soils with full sun to partial shade and requires very little maintenance once established. Cut back in late winter to encourage vigorous new growth the following season.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 6 hours
- Watering
- Water moderately; soil can dry out partially between waterings once established · Every 10-14 days
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 5–7
- Temperature
- -25°F to 95°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed, Division, Cutting
Hardiness
USDA 4b-9b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 12 in – 4 ft
- Spread
- 4 ft
- Spacing
- 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- Yes
- Foliage
- Coarse
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies, Moths
Sources: trefle
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