Verbesina alternifolia (Wingstem)

Once marketed to beekeepers as the "Golden Honey Plant," wingstem carries an official Xerces Society special-value designation for supporting a great diversity of bees and wasps, alongside documented larval host relationships with the Silvery Checkerspot, Summer Azure, and Gold Moth - genuine ecological substance for a species too often left out of field guides despite its abundance.

Species Overview

Verbesina alternifolia, or wingstem, is a tall, clump-forming perennial native to floodplains, woodlands, and moist thickets across eastern and central North America, growing 3 to 8 feet tall on stiff, winged stems. Large, dome-shaped clusters of ragged, bright yellow daisy-like flowers bloom for 4 to 6 weeks in late summer and fall.

Application

• Large-scale naturalized meadow and floodplain restoration
• Xerces Society special-value bee and wasp habitat
• Larval host habitat for the Silvery Checkerspot, Summer Azure, and Gold Moth
• Late-season pollinator plantings in moist, fertile soils

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

• Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
• Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Moist, fertile soils high in organic matter; tolerates some variance in moisture
• Plant Type: Forb
• Mature Height: 4-8 ft.
• Fall Color: Insignificant/None
• Bloom Color / Period: Yellow; August-October
• Wetland Indicator Status: NI (No Indicator) - see flags
• Native Range: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (full list)
• Hydrology: Mesic-Moist
• Root Depth: Moderate (12-24 in.)
• Salinity Tolerance: Low
• Growth Rate: Rapid
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate
• Deer Resistance: Yes (Rarely Damaged)
• Flood Tolerance: Moderate - A moist meadow and streamside species tolerant of periodically wet soil.
• Shade Tolerance: Intermediate
• Growth Habit: Upright
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
• Pollinator Value: Larval host, supports bees, supports butterflies, supports moths

Planting Guidance

• Historically marketed to beekeepers as the "Golden Honey Plant." Spreads readily by seed and rhizome and can quickly colonize suitable sites - considered aggressive and best suited to larger naturalized settings rather than small garden beds.

Please allow 3 business days for all seed orders.