Bloomipedia
Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia)
Photo: cigazze via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Wingstem

Verbesina alternifolia

Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly August–September across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Wingstem is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 15 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in August–September.

30states where USDA records it
15Bloomipedia state lists include it
34,918U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

Quick look

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

  • It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 30 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Ohio, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–September. iNaturalist
  • In Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–October. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 6,213 research-grade sightings of it in Ohio, ranking #17 among the 186 flowers on our Ohio list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 4,062 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #36 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,841 research-grade sightings of it in Pennsylvania, ranking #49 among the 190 flowers on our Pennsylvania list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,332 records)
Bloom time in the 15 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
OhioNativeAugust–September6,213
VirginiaNativeAugust–October4,062
PennsylvaniaNativeAugust–September3,841
MarylandNativeAugust–September2,842
IllinoisNativeAugust–September2,286
North CarolinaNativeAugust–September2,079
IndianaNativeAugust–September2,049
TennesseeNativeAugust–October1,881
MissouriNativeAugust–September1,715
KentuckyNativeAugust–October1,436
West VirginiaNativeAugust–September1,153
ArkansasNativeAugust–October711
KansasNativefew records (17)466
OklahomaNativefew records (21)386
NebraskaNativefew records (9)206

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 10 of our 15 states.
See each state
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: S5, secure in Pennsylvania. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. COMAR 08.03.08
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Indiana.
West Virginia
No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in West Virginia.
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
Kansas
No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: S5, secure in Kansas.
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DE (SH), FL (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records wingstem in 30 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Ohio counties with USDA records: Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Logan, Lorain, Lucas, Madison, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Ottawa, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert, Vinton, Washington, Wayne, Wood, Wyandot.

Virginia counties with USDA records: Albemarle, Alleghany, Amelia, Amherst, Arlington, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Carroll, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Fairfax, Fauquier, Floyd, Fluvanna, Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Goochland, Grayson, Greene, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, Henry, Highland, King George, King William, Lee, Loudoun, Louisa, Lunenburg, Madison, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Nelson, Northampton, Nottoway, Orange, Page, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Prince William, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Surry, Sussex, Tazewell, Virginia Beach , Warren, Washington, Wise, Wythe.

Pennsylvania counties with USDA records: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Chester, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Juniata, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Mercer, Mifflin, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, York.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Actinomeris alternifolia, Ridan alternifolia.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 830 counties across 29 states; the most are in Missouri (103), Illinois (81), Ohio (79).

Other Verbesina on Bloomipedia (3): Frostweed, Cowpen daisy, Yellow crownbeard.

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

More Ohio flowers

White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)

White snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

Native

🌼 Blooms in OH: August–October
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in OH: June–September
New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

Native

🌼 Blooms in OH: September–October

Sources