Verbesina alternifolia

Late in the summer, wingstem’s flowerheads have an undeniable vitality – like bursts of soft yellow light, with spreading central florets and descending petals. Thriving in moderately wet to average soils and full sun exposure to partial shade, wingstem is a major constituent of many NE Ohio habitats, especially riparian meadows and woodlands. Wherever it grows, wingstem is an important plant for wildlife, especially bumblebees. The narrow, tubular shape of the plant’s central disk flowers prevents many short-tongued pollinators from accessing its nectar, thereby increasing nectar availability for bumblebees, which are long-tongued.

A tall plant that frequently grows in excess of 6 feet, wingstem is also a strong competitor, spreading by means of underground stems to form colonies. When in bloom, wingstem constitutes one half of one of the great color combinations of North American flora, providing a mellow contrast to the intense magenta flowers of tall ironweed, which often grows nearby.

References: 1,2,3,4,5,6.

Photo by Ashley Keesling.