Wingstem

Verbesina alternifolia

Pollinator Value

🐛 Larval Host: Euphydryas phaeton (Baltimore Checkerspot), Chlosyne nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot), Chlosyne harrisii (Harris's Checkerspot), Celastrina argiolus (Spring Azure), Cremastobombycia ignota, Cremastobombycia ambrosiella, Agonopterix eupatoriiella
S14 Nearctic records; S10 Silvery Checkerspot confirmed on foliage
🐝 Specialist Bee Host: Melissodes agilis, Melissodes druriellus, Melissodes trinodis, Megachile inimica, Dieunomia heteropoda, Paranthidium jugatorium
S17 Asteraceae pollen specialists listing Verbesina as host; S3 lists Megachile inimica, Melissodes agilis, Melissodes trinodis
❄️ Winter Food Source: Seeds consumed by Wild Turkey (Phasianidae) and Gambel's Quail (Odontophoridae) based on genus-level diet records. Achenes are flat and winged with short awns, persisting on dried stems into winter.
S57 3 bird species at genus level; S10 achene description

Proximity Score: 2
Native Status: ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: SE
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.3 – Atlantic Highlands, 5.3.1 – Northern Appalachians and Atlantic Maritime Highlands
Rarity Notes: Ranked S3 (Vulnerable) in Ontario and N3 nationally in Canada. Not listed under SARA. Canadian populations are restricted to southwestern Ontario, primarily along the Thames River system in the Mixed Wood Plains ecozone. The species is globally secure (G5) but reaches its northern range limit in southern Ontario.
S22 S3 ON, N3 CA, G5; S26 not SARA listed; S54 ON specimens from Chatham area
Rarity Ranks: QC SNA – Not Applicable, ON S3 – Vulnerable
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Wingstem inhabits moist wooded slopes, floodplain forests, riverbanks, and open woodlands. It is most frequent along river systems, thriving in fertile alluvial soils alongside American Sycamore, American Elm, Hackberry, and Silver Maple. In Ontario it is ranked S3 (Vulnerable) and confined to southwestern counties along the Thames River and Lake Erie drainage.
S10 habitat description; S7 river systems; S22 S3 ON; S54 Ontario specimens from Chatham/Thamesville area

Roles: Fortress/Barrier, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: spines? (supporting signal only)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]
Notes: OWSL pairs wingstem with woodland and floodplain associates suited to moist, partially shaded conditions. Eutrochium purpureum provides complementary late-summer bloom height, while Bromus pubescens and Verbena urticifolia fill the lower herbaceous layer. The combination reflects the species' natural niche in rich, moist deciduous bottomlands.
S3 complementary plants; S10 habitat context

❌ Not Edible