Vernonia lettermannii 'Iron Butterfly'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ver-NON-ee-uh let-ter-MAH-nee-eye
- Description
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Iron butterfly ironweed is an ironweed cultivar that is grown for its mounding habit and showy long-lasting bright purple-violet flowers. This cultivar was created to accentuate a compact habit, rapid growth rate, and long bloom period. It grows to a height of 24 to 36 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide. It is a member of the Asteraceae family.
The genus name, Vernonia, honors an English botanist, William Vernon. The epithet, lettermanii, honors, an American botanist, George W. Letterman.
The plant is dense and multi-branched, and the foliage is fine and thread-like. Many frilly aster-like or disc flowers appear in summer at a time when other flowers are giving out to provide the bees and butterflies with nectar. They will flock to this plant! The foliage is attractive even when not in bloom, adding a finer texture to the garden.
Grow this plant in average well-drained soils in full sun to light shade. It is drought tolerant once established and poor soil tolerant so do not over-fertilize. It is recommended to cut this plant back early in the season to prevent the stems from flopping over. Seedlings of this plant are taller with bigger and bolder leaves. To prevent seedlings from developing, trim the flowers as they go to seed. Leave the stems intact during the winter and cut to the ground in late winter or early spring.
Use the iron butterfly ironwood to add texture and color to the late-season garden. Consider using this plant in a rock garden, drought-tolerant garden, or as a border in a pollinator garden.
Quick ID Hints:
- grows 24 to 36 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide, dense, and multi-branched
- foliage fine, thread-like
- aster-like flowers of bright purple violet in late summer
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This cultivar has no serious insect or disease problems. The stems may bend and flop over if planted in soil that is too rich or if the plant obtains too little sun.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Pollinator Garden in Full Sun Pollinator Garden in Partial Shade
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Vernonia
- Species:
- lettermannii
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Cultivar of a native plant
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- 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
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Frilly 1-inch purplish-red disc flowers in terminal corymbs in mid to late summer from July to August.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Attractive linear green leaves spiral alternately up the stem and become denser at the tips. Up to 5 inches long and 1/8 inch wide with smooth margins.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pool/Hardscape
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Erosion
- Poor Soil