This brilliantly-coloured perennial towers over many of its companions in the Autumn Garden.
The genus Vernonia is one of over 1700 genera in the cosmopolitan Asteraceae (daisy family) which comprises annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. All genera within the family contain a composite flower head usually of many individual florets encircled by florets with a single large petal. The genus Vernonia (ironweed) is a predominantly southern hemisphere genus containing over 300 species from Australasia, Asia, Africa, and South America, but also North America. Members of the genus can be annual, perennial, shrubs, trees or climbers, though only the herbaceous perennials are in cultivation. The stems are erect; the simple, entire or toothed leaves are usually alternate; and the flowers are held in cymes or clusters. V. altissima (syn. V. gigantea) is a North American species which occurs in open woodland, alluvial areas, prairies, marshes and swamps from south-eastern Canada to the central and eastern United States. It is a clump-forming perennial growing to 3m in height, and the terminal inflorescences have several small, cerise flower heads. A late-flowering perennial V. altissima is a valuable species for moist or dry conditions in full sun or light shade, and is also valuable for pollinators.