Verbesina alternifolia
Wingstem in cultivation
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Verbesina
Species:	V. alternifolia
Binomial name
Verbesina alternifolia Britton ex Kearney (L.)
Synonyms
Coreopsis alternifolia L. Actinomeris alternifolia (L.) DC Coreopsis procera Dryand. ex Aiton Ridan alternifolia (L.) Britton

Verbesina alternifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is commonly known as wingstem^[2] or yellow ironweed.^[3] It is native to North America.^[2]

The name "wingstem" refers to the petioles of the leaves, which run down the stem and form raised ridges or "wings" along it.^[4] The plant grows 3-8 feet tall with an unbranched stem until reaching the inflorescence at the very top.^[5] Its yellow flower heads, which bloom in late summer through early fall, are 1-2 inches wide and consist of up to 10 bright yellow ray florets that are angled downward, each bearing a notch at the end, as well as a spherical cluster of tubular yellow disk florets in the center.^[6]

Ecology

This plant grows in fertile, moist low-lying areas, such as near creeks and in open bottomland woods, usually not far from a body of water or woodland.^[5][7] The tubular disk florets in the center of every flower head attract long-tongued bees such as bumblebees and butterflies, while being less attractive to shorter-tongued insects like wasps and flies.^[5]

Verbesina alternifolia is sometimes considered weedy.^[8] It thrives and competes well in both disturbed and less disturbed habitats, and often forms colonies by spreading vegetatively from rhizomes.

The seeds are attractive food for birds.^[9] The foliage is not preferred food by deer and other herbivores.^[5][10]

As host plant

It is a larval host to the gold moth (Basilodes pepita) and the silvery checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis).^[11]

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  Close-up of Verbesina alternifolia stem showing wings
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  Mature flower heads
• 
  Detail of immature seed head

References

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