Stemless Ironweed Vernonia acaulis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ver-NOH-nee-ah ah-KAW-liss
- Description
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This attractive wildflower is native to NC, SC and Georgia. It does well in dry areas of the Piedmont and coastal plains of North Carolina.
Stemless ironweed forms a basal rosette of leaves with 36-42” tall stems rising from its center. Intense purple-fushia flowers appear from late June through August and are highly attractive to bees. Native bees nest in the dead, hollow stems, so gardeners are encouraged to cut back dead stems to 12 to 24 inches and allow them to remain standing until they disintegrate on their own. Read more about best practices for stem-nesting bees in this NC Extension publication.
It performs well at the edge of a woods in well-drained to dry, sandy soils and in meadows and woodland landscapes
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Vernonia
- Species:
- acaulis
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE North America
- Distribution:
- NC, SC, GA
- Wildlife Value:
- Birds enjoy the fruits, hummingbirds and butterflies the nectar. Members of the genus Vernonia support the following specialized bee: Melissodes (Eumelissodes) denticulatus. Dead stems are used by stem-nesting bees.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is a cluster of rusty clustered achenes. Displays from August to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- 1/2 inch wide frilly flower heads in loose corymbs are at the tips of spreading-ascending branches with 30-40 purple-magenta tubular flowers with 5 spreading narrow lobes. Bracts surround each head. Blooms June to Aug.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves mostly basal with blades oblong-elliptic, 4-8 inches long, irregularly toothed and hairy. A few alternate stem leaves are elliptical and much smaller.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- Green straight stem
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
