Photo of the Week: New York Ironweed

Image Details

New York Ironweed is a native wetland wildflower that occurs on the Pocosin Lakes & Alligator River National Wildlife Refuges. The plants can grow to more than 6 feet tall, bearing purple flowers that are very attractive to bees and butterflies. The flowers mature into fluffy seeds that persist on the plants until songbirds pick them off during the winter. This plant only occurs on wetland soils. Pictured butterfly is a beautiful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is one of six national wildlife refuges in the Coastal North Carolina National Wildlife Refuges Complex. Pocosin Lakes Visitor Center, located in Columbia, NC, is open 9am to 4pm whenever volunteer staffing is available.