Many native plants have unfortunately earned nicknames of “weed” and a few deserve them but not ironweed.

Ironweed (Vernonia spp.) is a plant that deserves more usage in the garden and more preservation in wild spaces. This tall perennial is fairly unremarkable until deep purple clusters of tiny flowers burst open, usually in mid to late summer (there are some earlier blooming ones). What appears to be a single flower is actually about a dozen blooms, typical for a plant in the Asteraceae family. Bees and butterflies benefit from ironweed’s nectar and pollen and small birds eat the seeds later. It is also a larval host plant for the American painted lady butterfly. . . . #nativeplants #nativeplantsofgeorgia #gardening #pollinatorplants #pollinatorgardening #nativehabitat #wildlifegardening #plants #georgia #gonative #spring