Western Ironweed is common to many drier areas in the Great Plains. It features showy magenta-purple flowers in loose clusters which grow at the top of stems up to 5′ tall. After the flowers fade, they are replaced by rusty-colored seed heads. Its rough, serrated, lance-shaped leaves usually reach 4″-7″. It gets its “ironweed” name from the color of its seedheads, as well as the from rusty color to which its flowers sometimes fade.
Western Ironweed serves as a late-season nectar source for many pollinators, including native bees and butterflies. It is also a host plant for several moth species, including the Ironweed Borer Moth, Red Groundling, and Parthenice Tiger Moth. It tolerates a variety of soils, including sandy and clay, and is deer-proof as well due to its leaves’ bitter taste. It is drought tolerant once established.
Height: 3′-5’ Spread: 1’-1.5’ Bloom: July-November Light: Full Sun Water: Low Zone: 4-8 Origin: Texas, central U.S.
