Curlytop Ironweed, Vernonia arkansana, features narrow, willow-like leaves and large, fluffy, pinkish-purple flowering heads with interesting thread-like tips on its bracts. Rusty seed clusters follow flowers. Named Ironweed for its tough stems, rust tinged fading flowers, and rusty colored seeds. Majestic plants can grow 4-6′ in gardens, or nearly 10′ tall in their native habitats–along streams, wet meadows, thickets, bright woods, prairies, and glades. Ironweed works well in naturalized areas, prairies, rain, and native gardens. Its large size makes it an attractive background plant. Good for areas with moist soils.

A featured plant of the Missouri Prairie Foundation Grow Native Pollinator Buffet program, a collection of plants that have been identified as being important to pollinators. See all the Pollinator Buffet plants here >>>