New York Ironweed

New York Ironweed

Vernonia noveboracensis

Plant Type
Forb (Deciduous)
Landscape Layer
Tall Herb
Sun
☀️ Full Sun, ⛅ Part Sun
Moisture
🏜️ Dry, 💧 Regular, 💧💧 High
Soil
Clay, Loam, Silt, Rocky / Acidic, Calcareous
Bloom
August
Sociability
S2 – Small groups

Pollinator Value

🐛 Larval Host
Phragmatobia fuliginosa, Lophocampa maculata, Estigmene acrea, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis

S14 filtered to species with Holarctic/Nearctic ranges overlapping ON/QC

🐝 Specialist Bee Host
Melissodes denticulatus, Melissodes druriellus, Svastra obliqua

S17 Asteraceae pollen-specialists on Vernonia with ranges reaching VT/ME near ON/QC

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score
2
Native Status
❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction
SE
CEC Eco-Regions
8 – Eastern Temperate Forests, 8.1 – Mixed Wood Plains, 8.1.7 – Northeastern Coastal Zone
Rarity Notes
Globally secure (G5). Nationally secure in the US (N5). Not listed under SARA. NatureServe lists native subnational populations in 10 eastern US states. No Canadian subnational ranks are available. The species is introduced in Quebec.

S22S26S1

Migration
Stable
Ecological Context
New York ironweed is a tall herbaceous perennial of moist to wet meadows, streambanks, and abandoned fields in the eastern United States. It thrives in full sun on rich, moist, slightly acidic soils but tolerates clay and a wide pH range. It is typically found in the company of other tall wetland-edge forbs. In Canada it is introduced in Quebec and reported from Ontario, near the northern limit of its range.

S6S4S1

Permaculture & Companion Planting

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
Juglone tolerant, making it suitable for planting near black walnut. As a tall, narrow plant it works at the back of the border. Its late-summer bloom fills a gap between mid-summer and fall-flowering species, and its strong pollinator attraction complements earlier-blooming guild members.

S4S64

Medicinal Properties

Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.

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Category
Analgesic, Blood Medicine, Gastrointestinal Aid, Gynecological Aid, Toothache Remedy

S28 Moerman categories from Cherokee use

Notes
Cherokee traditional medicine used root infusions for pain relief after childbirth, stomach ulcers and hemorrhage, blood purification, menstrual regulation, and loose teeth. All documented uses are from Hamel & Chiltoskey (1975) recording Cherokee plant knowledge. PFAF rates medicinal value at 0/5, indicating no modern pharmacological validation.

S28S29

Edibility & Foraging

Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.

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❌ Not Edible   

Foraging Notes
No edible uses are documented. PFAF rates edibility at 0 of 5. USDA lists Palatable Human=No. Moerman records no food-category uses.

S29S11S28

Seed Source

  • Northern Wildflowers
New York Ironweed