Vernonia fasciculata (Prairie Ironweed): purple Minnesota wildflowers

Vernonia fasciculata (Prairie Ironweed)

Plant Info
Also known as:	Western Ironweed, Smooth Ironweed
Genus:	Vernonia
Family:	Asteraceae (Aster)
Life cycle:	perennial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	sun; wet fields, along shores
Bloom season:	summer
Plant height:	3 to 6 feet
USDA PLANTS database:	Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Long Lake Regional Park Rice Creek Trail Corridor

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Detailed Information

Flower:: Flowers are in flat-topped clusters up to 4 inches across at the top of the plant, and smaller clusters arising from leaf axils near the top of the plant. Clusters are made up of a few to many flower heads, each about ¾ inch across. Each head is made up of up 10 to 30 tubular purple flowers with 5 narrow spreading lobes. The bracts surrounding the flower heads are green or reddish and flattened, somewhat resembling fish scales.
Leaves and stem:: Leaves are long and narrow, to 6 inches long and 1¾ inches wide, tapering to a sharp point at the tip with small sharply pointed teeth around the edges. The underside of leaves are often pitted. Leaves are hairless and alternately attached with no leaf stem. The main is also hairless and is sometimes reddish purple.
Fruit:: Fruit is a dry seed with a tuft of tan hair to carry it off in the wind.
Notes:: There are multiple species of ironweed, but Vernonia fasciculata is the only one that grows in this area, at least natively.

More photos

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN July 2007 and August 2008

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Ted in Southeastern MN in Fillmore Co
on: 2009-08-30 15:59:43

I've noticed this flower for the past several years and often marveled at it's height and beauty. I could not find it in "Wild Flowers of Minnesota". This flower is growing in an area of Minnesota that at one time was all prairie. Thank you for the information on the web site.

Posted by: Catherine in north shore of White Bear Lake
on: 2010-07-20 14:19:19

Wow! I've never seen this plant before and its Beautiful! What a gorgeous purple array! With a bit of thinking I did think Ironweed... has that Eupatoriumish leaf and stalk. but the most interesting thing is that this is on old beach that is super dried out!!! How did it get here??? How old are the seeds??? The Lake has been down about 5 feet for over 2 years and the native growth is getting exciting this year. Even baby Arrowheads are blooming on the pure sand. I could never get cattails to grow because its too sandy and too much water action at this site. Thanks to This site I was able to identify this beautiful native!

Posted by: Barb in southwest MN
on: 2010-08-04 20:16:37

Last week we saw some of these blooming on some CRP land near a gravel pit. I had never seen them there before, but this has been an unusual growing season here...early spring, very warm and very wet. The echinacea are especially robust in the restored prairie areas, as are the grasses: Canadian wild rye, big and little bluestem, Indian grass, switchgrass, side-oats grama grass.

Posted by: Susan in St. Paul, near Como Lake
on: 2010-08-12 22:06:36

I have this growing in my flower beds and garden, but didni't know it until this year when I haven't had the time to weed every weekend. I like this plant and am glad to finally know what it is. Now the trick is to get it to grow where I want it. Thank you for the information.

Posted by: Gregour in South Metro
on: 2010-08-20 00:01:03

I see these by the Minnesota River and by the Mississippi near the confluence of the rivers, they are in bloom in mid August. Possibly they grow here every year, although it's true the Spring weather was different this year and seems to have altered some populations of plants and perhaps animals. As I take photos and sometimes get good ones etc, I learn more plants, these definitely have a noticeable brilliant color.