Vernonia gigantea (Walter) Trel. ex Branner & Coville

Giant Ironweed; Queen of the Meadow

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Giant Ironweed is a native herbaceous perennial in the Aster family (Asteraceae). It occurs on floodplains, along creeks and rivers, around ponds and lakes, and in low woods and prairies. Giant Ironweed can be found throughout Alabama. It is a perennial with one or more stems emerging from a crown. The stems are erect, from 4-10 feet in height and unbranched below the inflorescence. The stems are round in cross section and puberulent to glabrescent. Leaves are numerous, mostly cauline, alternate, petiolate, lanceolate in outline, pubescent but not gland dotted, and with toothed margins. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are arranged in corymbs. Each head consists of 18-24 purple disc flowers. The fruit is an achene with tan or purplish pappus. Giant Ironweed is attractive to numerous butterfly and bee species when in flower. It is available from some wildflower nurseries or can be grown from seed. Giant Ironweed can be used at the back of plantings of lower growing species, in prairie or meadow plantings, in rain gardens, or along fence lines or wood lines. It prefers full to partial sun and a loamy soil.—A. Diamond

**

Native

Urbatsch, L.E. 1972. Systematic study of the Altissimae and Giantaea species groups of the genus Vernonia (Compositae). Brittonia 24: 229-238.