Thursday, August 9, 2012

Vernonia

It seems a bit early for the Ironweed to bloom. Things have been off all year. Seems like I complain about things like this every year too. That must mean things are just fine. This year is different. Every year is different.




















The good news is the Ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis has been busy seeding itself all over the tall flower meadow from the two plants that were here when I arrived. The Ironweed is more adventurous than Joe Pye. It is showing up in places much further afield from the mother plants and in places where I am happy to let it be.




















Whenever it decides to bloom, where ever it decides to show up, I am quite content to have this color purple in the late summer garden. Seed on vernonia.

7 comments:

Dianne said...

I love it, except in the pastures where it seems to grow best. I really love the Canadian Thistle, but that is definitely a no-no! I am not sure that my iron weed is blooming yet. If it will stop storming long enough, maybe I can search some out. Right now, I am searching for the twin fawns that I have seen, but of course, had no camera.

Christopher C. NC said...

Yes there are a couple of pastures over my way with beautiful stands of Ironweed. I hate the Canadian Thistle because of the vicious thorns. Sorry gardy gets stabbed enough. He don't need to do it at home.

Fairegarden said...

Who knows what is really supposed to bloom when? Not the humans, for sure. The plants know, good thing they ignore us and our hand wringing. The ironweed that was growing here is the very tall kind, I cut it by 2/3 in May so I can see the pretty purple better.

Frances

Did you get the plants?

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I can't seem to get iron weed to start here. Hmmmmm Maybe I pull the seedlings as weeds. I do love that color as it blooms. Have a great weekend.

Christopher C. NC said...

Frances if I cut the Ironweed to make it shorter I'd have to cut every thing else or it would get buried. Yes I found a few plants on my last visit to Asheville. I wonder where my baby clematis will show up?

Lisa Ironweed babies are fairly distinct. I don't see them at seedling stage though and it takes a good three years to gain mature size.

Lola said...

Beautiful color. I so enjoyed it when there. I left all wild go to seed.

Fairegarden said...

Lisa, the ironweed seedlings looked like weeds to me, all those plain jane aster looking things. They have a white line down the center, that is how I ID them. Good Christopher, on the plants. This is the first year I have seen clemmie babies, and they love the gravel paths.