Giant ironweed (Vernonia gigantea), also known as tall ironweed, is a towering Florida-native perennial wildflower in the Asteraceae family. It occurs in scattered populations across the state, particularly in northern and central Florida, favoring moist to wet habitats such as floodplains, wet to mesic pine flatwoods, stream edges, roadside ditches, ruderal areas, pastures, bottomlands, and disturbed moist sites—thriving in rich, damp soils with good drainage but tolerating periodic inundation.
This erect herbaceous perennial typically grows 3–10 feet tall (often 5–8 feet in Florida landscapes), with sturdy, rigid stems that give it the "ironweed" name due to their toughness. Stems are mostly smooth, sometimes with fine silky hairs near leaf bases, and branch in the upper portion to form loose, open clusters. Leaves are alternate, lance-shaped to elliptic or ovate, up to 8 inches long, with serrated margins, dark green surfaces, and a somewhat rough or hairy texture.
From late summer through fall—typically peaking in August to November—giant ironweed produces showy  clusters of small, fuzzy, deep purple to magenta flower heads.  Flowers are vibrant, fringed pom-pom-like clusters that attract a wide array of pollinators, including butterflies, native bees, and other insects. It serves as a valuable late-season nectar source and is a larval host for species like the spring azure butterfly.
The plant dies back to the ground in winter, regrowing vigorously each spring from a persistent root system, and can form colonies over time in suitable conditions. Low-maintenance and adaptable, giant ironweed prefers full sun to partial shade and consistently moist soils (it handles occasional flooding but not prolonged drought). As a striking native, it's perfect for the back of moist wildflower gardens, wetland edges, rain gardens, streamside plantings, or naturalized areas, adding dramatic height, bold late-season color, and strong ecological support to Florida landscapes.
 
Size: 1 gal
 
Shipping materials are recycled. Please feel free to compost our shredded paper we use for cushioning. The package and loose-fill packing may have been reused. Feel free to reuse again, use as mulch, compost, or recycle.
 
Plants are only shipped on Mondays and Tuesdays. This is to avoid plants sitting at a post office or warehouse over a weekend and reducing shipping stress on plants. Plants arrive healthier and quicker when you select faster shipping such as priority shipping. Plants ship from Florida. Keep that in mind when deciding to buy and selecting shipping options.
 
Seed packets ship any day of the week and are commonly shipped in envelopes paid by stamp. There will be no tracking information for seed packets shipped in this way. Customers will be notified when seed packets are sent. 
 
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