Vernonia glauca - Ironweed

Family:	Compositae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1.5
Synonyms:
Range:	Eastern N. America - New Jersey to Georgia, west to Alabama and Pennsylvania.

Vernonia glauca (Ironweed) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1.5m . It has a hardness rating of 3.
Ironweed will flower in January to February. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Insects

Soil Information

Ironweed will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Ironweed prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Ironweed should not be planted in shady areas.

Rich woods[222].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any soil in a sunny position[200]. When grown in a suitable site, the plants often self-sow[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
The root is a blood tonic[222]. It is used to regulate menstruation, relieve pain after childbirth and also in the treatment of stomach aches and bleeding[222, 257]. An infusion of the roots has been used as a mouth wash to make loose teeth firm[257].

• Blood tonic - Is this any different to a blood purifier?
• Odontalgic - Treats toothache (temporary measure only) and other problems of the teeth and gums.
• Women's complaints - A very vague title, it deals with a miscellany of problems peculiar to the female sex.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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