By Debra Parrish
August is time for the giants in the gardens to bloom. Of all the natives, these are my favorites and, ironweed was my first.
Your blooms mesmerized me and when I grew you,
your height fascinated me.
Farmers hate you. They can’t eradicate you with poison so,
they mow you down. A mere image of your true self.
You can be considered a bully. Nuisance is used
to describe you.
Not picky where you grow—fields,
pastures, roadsides, and in the urban garden at
the woodland edge. You are welcomed there, not a bully nor a nuisance.
Prevailing winds constantly at your back,
always standing tall.
The other giants with their issues,
requiring support, to stand tall.
Your presence reminds me year after year, how much
I love the colors of your blooms.
Intense in the sun; subdued in the shade.
Such a welcomed color amongst the other giants
in the urban garden.
You started the pursuit of always having your color
while yellow and white also still in bloom; from the beginning
of the garden season to the end; and, that love affair
started more than thirty-five years ago.
Perception—how it defines you.
David Taylor, Forest Service
Tall ironweed, Vernonia gigantea, is a member of the sunflower family, Asteraceae. In Kentucky, plants begin blooming in August, occasionally, late July, with some individuals blooming as late as mid-October. The plant has alternate leaves each up to 10 inches long and 2.5 inches wide. Stems are typically 5-6 feet tall but can reach 9-10 feet in bottomland. The purple flowers are small, only about ¼ inch long, but because 20-25 are clustered together a head, and 50 to several hundred heads occur in one inflorescence, the plant is showy. Many species of small bees and butterflies will feed on the nectar produced by the flowers. A large plant can produce 1,000 or more wind-blown seeds.
Tall ironweed is a clumpy plant producing multiple stems from each root system, which is extensive and tough, firmly anchoring the plant in the ground. A few caterpillars and beetles eat the leaves, but otherwise the plant is relatively resistant to herbivory. Once established in a field, especially if overgrazed, the plant spreads quickly, aided by bare soil patches, and general immunity from grazing. The plant is difficult to eradicate and is generally controlled by mowing. In a garden setting, it is wise to cut the inflorescence off once the flowers are finished blooming if you don’t want them to spread. Dispose of the old flowers in the trash to prevent spreading of seed.
Debra Parrish lives in the heart of downtown and spends a lot of time and expends a great deal of love on her urban native gardens. She frequently offers summer tours for gardening clubs and other native gardening organizations.