Verbesina alternifolia
Wingstem
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Clusters of perky yellow flowers bloom in late summer on tall stems.
Description:
Large mounding clusters of yellow flowers feature drooping petals that encircle a central disk. The flowers sit atop tall stems and bloom for 1-2 months, between August and September. The stem is usually ‘winged’ with leaf tissue. Plants can reach heights of 4-5 feet. Wingstem grows in full sun to light shade and prefers moist, fertile soil that is high in organic matter. Wingstem reseeds readily in the garden and can spread aggressively. Mingle with New York Ironweed that grows in similar conditions and has clusters of purple flowers that bloom at the same time.
Wildlife Value: The flowers support a great diversity of bees and wasps. It is visited primarily by long-tongued bees, including bumblebees, but also short-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. Birds eat the seeds. It is also a host plant for Silvery Checkerspot butterfly (Chlosyne nycteis), Summer Azure butterfly (Celastrina neglecta) and Gold Moth (Basilodes pepita).
Plant Details:
Other Scientific Names: Actinomeris alternifolia
Other Common Names: Yellow Ironweed
Plant Type: Flower, Perennial
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Late Summer to Fall
Bloom Colors: Yellow
Deer Resistance: High
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Bees and Other Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds
Salt Tolerance: Unknown
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy, Clay
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic, Neutral
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 4 - 8 ft
Spread: 2 - 6 ft
Growth Rate: Fast