Verbesina alternifolia: Country Or Region Of Origin
North America
Plant Profile: Verbesina alternifolia
Taxonomy: Verbesina alternifoliaNames
Wingstem, Yellow Ironweed
Phonetic Spelling:ver-BES-see-nah al-ter-nih-FOH-lee-ah
Genus:Verbesina
Species:alternifolia
Family:Asteraceae
Yellow Ironweed is a deciduous wildflower indigenous to North America, predominantly found in the Piedmont region and mountainous areas of North Carolina. This plant thrives in rich, moist environments such as wooded slopes, open woodlands, riverbanks, shaded lowlands, roadsides, and fields. It can reach heights of up to 8 feet, flourishing in both full sunlight and partial shade. While it serves as a vital resource for bees, it is also known for its tendency to spread rapidly.
This species is best suited for naturalized settings, native plant gardens, the edges of woodlands, or alongside ponds and streams.
Verbesina alternifolia Feature Summary
Verbesina alternifolia Image Gallery
Tags
#showy flowers
#yellow
#full sun tolerant
#perennial
#wildlife plant
#yellow flowers
#stream banks
#perennial flowers
#summer flowers
#native wildflower
#wildflower garden
#pond edge
#border back
#partial shade tolerant
#bee friendly
#woodlands
Similar Plants
Verbesina alternifolia Feature Summary
Attributes
North America
AL , AR , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NE , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Larval host to the gold moth, Summer Azure butterfly, and the silvery checkerspot. Bees visit the flowers.
Perennial
Fruit
Flowers
The daisy-like flower is 1-2 inches across and composed of 3-10 yellow petals that reflex backward and a pincushion-like greenish-yellow center. They occur in dome-shaped panicles. Blooms July-Oct.
Gold/Yellow
Green
Panicle
Summer
Fall
7 - 20 petals/rays
Radial
1-3 inches
Leaves
Oval to lance-shaped alternate leaves flow into wings on the stem. Up to 10 inches long and 2.5 across. Margins can be smooth, slightly serrated or sparsely dentate. The upper surface has a rough texture while the underside is paler with hairs along the veins.
Deciduous
Green
Simple
Alternate
Elliptical
Lanceolate
Entire
Serrate
Dentate
> 6 inches
Rough
1-3 inches
Stem
Central stem unbranched except near the top. Usually winged with long white hairs between the ridges.
Green
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Wildflower
Deciduous
Erect
Medium
Medium
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Native Garden
Border
Deer
Rabbits
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Pond
Pollinators
Weedy
Verbesina alternifolia Image Gallery
Verbesina alternifolia Attributes
Verbesina alternifolia: Distribution
AL , AR , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NE , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Verbesina alternifolia: Wildlife Value
Larval host to the gold moth, Summer Azure butterfly, and the silvery checkerspot. Bees visit the flowers.
Verbesina alternifolia: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Verbesina alternifolia Fruit
Verbesina alternifolia: Fruit Description
Oval-shaped flat achenes are winged.
Verbesina alternifolia: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Verbesina alternifolia: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Verbesina alternifolia Flowers
Verbesina alternifolia: Flower Description
The daisy-like flower is 1-2 inches across and composed of 3-10 yellow petals that reflex backward and a pincushion-like greenish-yellow center. They occur in dome-shaped panicles. Blooms July-Oct.
Verbesina alternifolia: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Verbesina alternifolia: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Verbesina alternifolia: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Verbesina alternifolia: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Verbesina alternifolia: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Verbesina alternifolia: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Verbesina alternifolia: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Verbesina alternifolia Leaves
Verbesina alternifolia: Leaf Description
Oval to lance-shaped alternate leaves flow into wings on the stem. Up to 10 inches long and 2.5 across. Margins can be smooth, slightly serrated or sparsely dentate. The upper surface has a rough texture while the underside is paler with hairs along the veins.
Verbesina alternifolia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Verbesina alternifolia: Leaf Color
Green
Verbesina alternifolia: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Verbesina alternifolia: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Verbesina alternifolia: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Verbesina alternifolia: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Verbesina alternifolia: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Verbesina alternifolia: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Verbesina alternifolia: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Verbesina alternifolia: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Verbesina alternifolia Stem
Verbesina alternifolia: Stem Description
Central stem unbranched except near the top. Usually winged with long white hairs between the ridges.
Verbesina alternifolia: Stem Color
Green
Verbesina alternifolia: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Verbesina alternifolia: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Verbesina alternifolia Whole Plant Traits
Verbesina alternifolia: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Verbesina alternifolia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Verbesina alternifolia: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Verbesina alternifolia: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Verbesina alternifolia: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Verbesina alternifolia: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Verbesina alternifolia Cultural Conditions
Verbesina alternifolia: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Verbesina alternifolia: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Verbesina alternifolia: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Verbesina alternifolia: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Verbesina alternifolia: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Verbesina alternifolia Landscape
Verbesina alternifolia: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Verbesina alternifolia: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Verbesina alternifolia: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Verbesina alternifolia: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Verbesina alternifolia: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
Verbesina alternifolia: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
