Photograph liking is easy. (Love the search results photos.) As for practical liking, I like whatever butterflies truly like (beware the universal trope "Attracts butterflies"), and that serve them either for long stretches of time, or in very frequently repeated manner.

Also the native bees LOVE the ironweed.

I will tell you that NY Ironweed gets about 7 feet tall, with corresponding strong stems; cutting them down in the fall is hard work, and I sometimes have to pull out the loppers. After a couple of years it starts to send out a runner or two to start new plants (personal experience - I never saw that in any description, but then again, I bought them about 15 years ago). They do not self-seed everwhere, and the runners are easy enough to remove. If you decide to move the plant after several years, though, be prepared for a whole lot of digging - the main root mass somehow ended up about 8" - 10" below the soil level. Tricky.

Having said all that, I would not be without them.

Too weedy looking for me...shovel pruned them.

I have the native purple iron weed on my property. Some plants are years old. And yes, they do seed down and I have to be vigilant, esp. around the garden. In the orchard I let them grow wherever they please.

The native tends to fall over in strong storms; I think it needs to be surrounded by other tall plants. Take a look at Iron Butterfly; it's shorter and the foliage is finer and bees love it.

Thanks, all. Funny you mentioned the "Iron Butterfly" -- when the lady suggested the ironweed I initially said no because I don't like the thready foliage of the "Iron Butterfly"-type. She suggested I look at the planting of the noveboracencis, and I loved the look of the foliage -- in her garden, anyway -- so was sold. Totally different look, I had no idea of the difference. Helpful to know might blow over, will have to support them as they grow taller. Will be planted next to an "Ice Ballet" milkweed, culver's root, and Pritchard's campanula so will have some support from neighboring tall plants, which will help. I can't wait to see this one bloom!

I have read that the Missouri Ironweed (V. missouriensis, or something like that) is about half the size of NY Ironweed but just as attractive to pollinators. Maybe take a look at that?

I *want* tall. :0)

Then this is the plant for you!!

I planted this grown from seed a couple years ago. Beautiful flower. I have it near hollow stem joe pye which was planted at the same time. The Joe Pye is around 5 feet tall as of today while the iron weed is still small and thinner maybe 3 feet, although the iron weed is in a drier, shadier spot. I think if you wanted to control it, you could plant it in a more average soil in a little shade. I cant speak to the flopping but I do have this problem with other tall plants, and I think the solution is to modify the entire planting design and crowd it with other tall plants and grasses so it can do what it is adapted to do. I added 3 more plugs of these in different areas just last week and I do like the plant.

^^ That is tough!

I noticed that the ones in the beds that are moister are taller than the ones I have in a drier, west-facing bed, even though I've been supplementally watering, and the flower trussses are bigger. I believe these were potted seedlings from the nursery based on the conversation I had with the nursery owner, so I wonder if it's variation in seedlings or does have to do with the site placement. Regardless, so far so good -- a couple blooms have opened and i like the color, and I do really like the foliage.

Im pretty sure the ironweed is most commonly found in wet areas, so it makes sense the ones with more water are bigger. Theres really no substitute for ground water. I love the foliage too

Two years in a box...that's like a bizarre Hollywood movie, or like a weird Broadway musical where some alien plant grows--

wait a minute. That IS a Broadway musical!

Truly, two years in a box? Unbelievable!

I've had two: Vernonia angustifolia 'Plum Peachy' and v. lettermanii 'Iron Butterfly'. PP was very pretty but reseeded a lot here and I probably wouldn't plant it again. Iron Butterfly has a beautiful form and foliage but gets really thick and flops out 360 degrees (and I don't fertilize but something is making it too happy). If you like the foliage just go with amsonia hubrichtii and get the spring fragrance and fall color.

I'd love to have more room for just the noveboracencis but it is a bit spready.

I have had the native 4 or 5 years--the first year one and the second year two plants. They are 7 feet tall and grow in the driest part of my yard without supplemental water. They lean somewhat after a heavy rain but normally stand tall without staking. I appreciate this plant for thriving on neglect.

Betsy, in recent years they bloomed for how long?

Of what species are they?

I think that they bloom for a couple of weeks--maybe a little longer. I don't know the species--they came from the woods behind my house.