Prairie Ironweed
Vernonia fasciculata
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Vernonia
- Species:
- Vernonia fasciculata
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 4-6 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jul, aug, sep
- Bloom Colors:
- Purple
Keystone Species Ranking
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Coleophora vernoniaeella, Northern Burdock Borer (Papaipema circumlucens), Spotted Tussock Moth (Lophocampa maculata)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus), Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers wet prairies and meadows
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Single-step cold-moist stratification for temperate woodland species. for 60–120 days
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o