Complete Guide To New York Ironweed, Vernonia Noveboracensis

This is a complete grow and care guide to New York Ironweed, a native Wildflower from Eastern North America. One of the best attractors of butterflies, it grows well in full sun to partial shade in moist to medium-moist soil.
In this video you will learn the benefits, how to identify, growing conditions, germination protocol, and garden/wildlife uses.
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Digital Table Of Contents:
00:00 Intro
01:06 What is New York Ironweed
01:57 Benefits
03:56 How to identify
06:21 Growing Conditions
07:28 How to grow from seed
09:08 How to save seed
10:08 Wildlife uses
11:12 Emerging in Spring
11:22 Garden Uses
12:11 Companion plants
12:37 Review
13:39 Gratuitous butterfly footage
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Articles referenced in the video -
New York Ironweed - growitbuildit.com/vernonia-no...
General Ironweed guide covering different species (& those with rhizomes) - growitbuildit.com/ironweed-ve...
Cold Stratify in fridge - growitbuildit.com/seed-strati...
Winter Sowing - growitbuildit.com/illustrated...
How to separate seedlings - growitbuildit.com/separate-se...
Chelsea Chop - growitbuildit.com/the-chelsea...

[@lukenukem1976]

I love the way you make videos that are a means to communicate rather than massage an ego . I'm a seasoned gardener and I can attest that you make some of the best available. Please keep making videos at your own pace because they are worth the wait . P.s European growers can find top notch seed ( and fresh ) from Jelitto based in Germany.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Luke - that really means a lot. And I really appreciate your comment about making them at my own pace. Each movie takes many, many hours, and often footage spanning multiple years.

[@ericquinby8736]

Tom Beaudette

[@coltonboney9963]

The amount of information in these videos is insane! I can't imagine how much time getting the footage alone takes. We really appreciate your insight! You've helped improve my garden a ton for both me and wildlife!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Colton! And your suspicion is right, I may film for years before making a video. I think my earliest footage from this video was 2020. I actually foraged the seed in 2018, (had unsuccessfully sown purchased seed prior to that), then had my first plants in 2019. And those are the primary ones you see in the video. I actually have a hard time selecting what footage to use in the video because I have so much. There is a lot left on the 'cutting room floor' so to speak.

[@bluebowser3347]

Always lovely to see your videos in my subscriptions feed. Best plant guides on youtube!!!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Blue! I really appreciate it.

[@shelly7017]

Thanks for sharing. I just recently moved from Eastern Washington State to the Lake Champlain area of NY. This will be my first year growing a garden here. We are on 0.3 of an acre that has a front and back lawn. I don't like lawns! I prefer to grow food. I've been hobby farming for a little over 10 years, growing food and raisng mest animals. I like learning all I can about permaculture, intergrative pest management, building soil, native plants, wild edible, and medicinal plants. Recently, how to grow a lot of food in a small space. I just watched your Leaf Mulch 2022 update. It's very inspiring. We have a ton of leaves to clean up, and I plan to use them to grow potatoes this year. I wish you guys all the best this 2023 gardening season.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Shelly - I'm glad you found my info helpful. You are going to love what leaves do for your soil. And the 'no-weeding' benefit is awesome. Good luck this season!

[@YourMom-kg1tb]

I echo the comments about how informative, and helpful your content is. Anytime I see one of your vlogs pop up, I get so excited! Thank you for all your hard work!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you so much! I'll keep them coming as I can. I try to put out the highest quality product I can.

[@plantabundance]

Thank you for this video. I'm looking to add more color to my mostly edible landscape. It is a beauty and the butterflies...wow. Nice footage btw. Cheers!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you sir! It's an excellent addition to any yard, and really does well attracting pollinators. Nice channel by the way - I've watched plenty of your videos.

[@barneygimble8984]

I grew a hundred of these last year and they flowered first year and are sprouting up again now. This year a am starting wingstem to plant as companions . I hope the result will be Baltimore Ravens colors. Great video and I appreciate your efforts and I thoroughly enjoy the composition of the narration and photography

[@growitbuildit]

Those should be blooming at the same time - I bet it will look awesome. Same growing conditions too. Thank you for the kind words Barney - I put a lot of effort to try to make the videos good!

[@mattmccallum2007]

The winter shot at 3:05 is really nice. That is so much habitat for insects and birds over the winter.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Matt - It is a large area. Roughly 15 x 60.

[@mattmccallum2007]

@@growitbuildit really cool. It’s really nice to see the plants getting left over winter. A lot of people garden for the blooms in the summer and not realize the importance of the plants have the rest of the year.

[@timmartin4442]

Great content as always. I love the clip where you include your daughter chasing off the deer!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Tim - I've trained her and her big brother well!

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

A friend in New England mailed me some seedlings. It grows for me every year. At one point i had an urge to have a "perfect" garden and tried to kill it off without success, thank goidness!

[@growitbuildit]

Thankfully it's a really tough plant!

[@janecalandriello8528]

I just loved viewing your video on beautiful New York Ironweed! It is growing at the old Farmington Canal in Norton Park, Plainville, Ct! Jane.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Jane! It's blooming down here all over the place right now.

[@nightofelements888]

I love your native plant videos and always look forward to new ones some of the best on KZbin and honestly helped me get started on my own native flower bed. I do have a recommendation if you can, I collected some fireweed seeds from the UP of Michigan this summer. And I don’t really see any videos on growing fireweed on KZbin, they’re such a gorgeous native flower!!

[@growitbuildit]

Hi - thank you so much. Fireweed is one plant I have never actually encountered in the wild. So I won't have any videos forthcoming. But thank you for the suggestion - I will keep it in mind.

[@bigtomatoplantslover6205]

Wow lovely flowers Like 749 My friend, thank you for good sharing

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you so much! Happy gardening

[@richarddetriquet9642]

Outstanding video as usual. Professional and packed with valuable info. Keep doing this, please.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Richard - I will keep doing it. I appreciate the kind words

[@LongislandnativeSanctuary]

you are so good, this is by far the best channel and videos ive seen, thank you!!!!!!!!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words!

[@cristinacruz6493]

Excellent video. I found this flower and my garden and wondered what it was. Thank you for this great presentation.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Cristina - I'm very happy you enjoyed it.

[@juliacatoe1150]

Another comprehensive video of a perennial I now want to grow as a result, so thank you for always doing such a great job of explaining this beauty.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you so much Julia - good luck, this is a wonderful flower!

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

I love seed heads!

[@growitbuildit]

They are quite beautiful on their own!

[@LiseBois]

I love this plant. Thank you for the clear and simple instructions about growing NY Ironweed.

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome Lise! It is really an amazing flower.

[@anandab3650]

I have been catching up on your plant profile videos and just want to say thank you because they are so helpful and really get me excited for more native plants!

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome Ananda. The amount of pollinator/insect activity you get with natives is amazing.

[@hillbillylivestock4162]

Been weeding this out of my veg garden for 3 years. (NW GA)

[@growitbuildit]

Hi - From my references Bartow is the most NW county for this specific species (doesn't mean it didn't escape from somewhere else). But Tall Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea) covers most of NW GA. That one does have rhizomes, but I'm not certain how 'far and wide' they may travel.

[@hillbillylivestock4162]

@@growitbuildit the roots do sometimes resemble asparagus. This winter we had 6°F overnight temps. Usually the root stays alive for sprouting the next year. We'll see. They are pretty. Just not in the veg!

[@mathieuTME]

I love those plant profile videos you make!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Mathieu! I'm glad you enjoy them.

[@CherylBelczak]

Truly appreciate your videos and all the thorough information. Always happy to find you have a video when I start researching a plant. Thank you so much!

[@growitbuildit]

I'm glad I could help you out Cheryl! You're going to love this plant. It really is a great addition.

[@tarawatterson4188]

Growing this one for the first time this year. Thanks for all the great info as always!

[@growitbuildit]

You're going to love this plant Tara. It really does well at bringing all sorts of interest to the yard.

[@pepercat17]

Loving the content!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Casey!

[@pepercat17]

@@growitbuildit sure thing bruh! If you have the time and looking for new projects, I’d love to see you post videos of starting wildflowers from seedlings. I’m planting Wildflower seeds, they didn’t name the seeds on the pack, and some purple coneflower seeds, and black eye Susan’s. I wanna see someone’s progression with seedlings so I know what to expect and what to avoid from them. I’d like that person to be you bruh!

[@metacyclic]

Another great plant profile. Thank you. Now to find some seeds!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you - I would go to Prairie Moon for a good source for this one. They have several species of Ironweed, but be careful with anything but New York!

[@lisalikesplants]

Love this plant! Thanks so much for doing a profile on it. So great for wildlife. Always enjoy watching your videos and I watch them a few times to really learn the information.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Lisa - I'm glad you're liking my videos.

[@roxannewoel7754]

Thanks!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you so much Roxanne!

[@robertsmith5745]

Thanks , will,plant some of these in the spring.

[@growitbuildit]

Excellent - you won't be disappointed Robert.

[@lprice5583]

I just found your channel. You make great videos. I made sure to hit the like button. Thank you.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you - I'm glad you are enjoying them.

[@rolande6342]

Great info!! Looking for the seeds now!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Roland - Prairie Moon usually has seeds for this species.

[@sarahdiaz4904]

You certainly make the case for it!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Sarah - that was my intention!

[@pickone8142]

Thanks

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome.

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

I'm also growing Vernonia lettermanni.

[@growitbuildit]

I have never seen that one (knowingly). There are so many different species of Vernonia.

[@marielemonnier1036]

Another great video and another plant to add to my flower gardens. Im in southern canada in zone 4B, and i've never seen it in the wild here, or as a cultivated plant, but i'm still going to try it. With a layer of straw on top during winter, i think it will survive.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Marie. I think you are right regarding the mulch. It is hardy to zone 5, so it will probably survive the Winter just fine. Good luck!

[@anniecampbell8554]

Thanks so much. I want to plant NY Ironweed but may have missed the boat for this season. Shall try the winter sowing later in the year tho’.

[@growitbuildit]

Hi Annie - I don't know where you are located, but I'm in zone 6 and I would give it a shot. Sow a bit heavier just in case. You could also try stratifying it using the paper towel method. There is always a risk of mold with that method, but if you have very clean work surfaces you minimize the chances of that in my experience.

[@WanderCampesino]

Subbed 🎉

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you!

[@jimmyjambag2230]

How about a montage of just peaceful plonators visiting plants

[@growitbuildit]

That sounds like a good project. I've got hours and hours of footage.........

[@farstrider79]

I've got tones of leaves, but unfortunately they're full of Willow oak acorns and their tough when the sprout. Next year I'll try to hot compost the leaves in a pile, then transfer them to the garden.

[@growitbuildit]

Leaves are insane for how much they can help your soil.

[@tracyguillemette6255]

thank you for this video! I started this from seed last year, then when large enough I planted in the meadow. I'm assuming they will probably flower this year if they make it despite the voles. I lost a few last summer from voles, actually watched it being pulled under!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Tracy - I bet you'll get blooms this year. That is awful that you could see them being pulled under. I've not dealt with a bad vole infestation. But I did find evidence of them this year, as after a snow melt I could see their surface tunnels running to my compost pile.

[@tracyguillemette6255]

I sent a couple of photos of the budding Ironweed in my micro prairie, to your email today, wasn't quite sure it was NY Ironweed@@growitbuildit

[@jimmyjambag2230]

Is this the year we get videos on all the plants that were used to make teas?

[@growitbuildit]

I don't even know them all! But you will definitely get another video on one you can make tea with...and lots of other uses.

[@blenderbenderguy]

I really appreciate your down to earth style. I've got 5 acres I've been trying to transform for a few years now. Spent a ton of money on various seed blends but haven't seen a huge return other than a lot of Rudbeckia. I've got some Ironweed here and there and have appreciated it before I figured out what it was. My field this year has got to be 75% covered in some variety of Fleabane. I'm not sure that's good. Any thoughts on that? Thank you so much for your efforts!

[@growitbuildit]

Hi - I wouldn't worry about fleabane. It is native, and although it can get quite weedy, it isn't an overly dominating plant. Other, beefier perennials and grasses should eventually out-compete it. If you've done seed mixes, you can mow the field a couple times per year to help keep annual weeds down, while letting your larger perennials develop their root mass. This is actually a method recommended to help keep Goldenrod from being the ultimate thug (even though it is native). This should also be done periodically to keep trees down. If there are some species that you really want to get going though, you may want to look into Winter Sowing some seeds and growing them most the summer in large pots. Then in Fall or right now, go plant them where you can see them from your house. This will give you a nice seed supply for future years, as well as possibly allow you to propagate from division. It obviously isn't a fast strategy, but will allow you to have a stronger hand in 'decorating' your property with natives over the years.

[@blenderbenderguy]

@@growitbuildit Thanks Joe! Besides all the fleabane, the understory is clover, mostly red clover. I don't know where it came from, but it's everywhere. Should that concern me in terms of it out competing all the seed blends I've sowed? My thoughts are to spot plant many areas with Indian Grass, Big Bluestem, Ironweed, etc. this Fall and see if I can get other things established.

[@growitbuildit]

I really haven't had to battle red clover before. But you can use herbicides to spot treat it before it blooms next year. That way it would be on equal footing with the others. Just mark a few plant locations and pay attention when they emerge. Carefully spray only those an it can help keep it in check.

[@iwalkintherain641]

Do you think this would grow in a container?

[@growitbuildit]

Hi - yes, I think it probably could. I've had some survive a winter in a 4" pot (one winter). I'm not sure just how cold it could tolerate in a container though, as in if the roots froze solid I'm not sure it would survive. It may, but I just do not know. Obviously the larger the container the better. One thing I've learned growing other perennials in a container is that you should make sure it never dries out, or use a heavy pot. Sometimes they can tip over in high winds.

[@liam351]

Hey there, are you aware of any flowers native to Eastern North America (I'm in Ontario) that would be able to grow in pots? Thanks!

[@growitbuildit]

Hi Liam - Some that I've grown in pots would be Anise Hyssop, Echinacea purpurea, Plains Coreopsis, Liatris Spicata. In general, if it has fibrous roots it can be grown in a pot. Tap rooted plants may not fare as well. And also, in Winter, the plants should be moved into a garage or shed. If the pot freezes solid you may lose the plant.

[@liam351]

@@growitbuildit Hi again, thanks for the response. If moved to the shed or garage would they need any watering in the winter?

[@growitbuildit]

Since the plant isn't actively growing, it isn't going to need much of anything. I wouldn't let it totally dry out though.

[@farstrider79]

Aaaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!!!!! Don't tell me about more plants! I've already bought my seeds for this spring! I can't buy more!

[@growitbuildit]

Sorry! This one is worth it!