Ironweed

Ironweed in a field near me – Photo: L. Weikel

I don’t know why, but I’ve seen dozens of references to ironweed over the past several days. As can be seen above, the plant has a sturdy stem and sports a deep purple flower. It’s stunning.

I’ve noticed this wildflower in other late summer fields of years gone by, but never knew its name. The fact that its name is being brought to my attention time and time again feels significant. In fact, as I took the above photo during my walk this evening, I was hopeful that I’d find some information about it in my copy of Nature Speak* by Ted Andrews.

Sad to say, there was no such entry. But I feel this lovely flower has a pretty obvious message that we need only open our hearts and minds to ‘hearing.’ And that is: we’re being pummeled by a variety of circumstances nationally and globally, and in the midst of it all? We are being asked to bloom precisely where we find ourselves – and allow our beauty and influence to ripple outward. We’re being asked by life to make the choice to both survive and flourish and we must stand strong against forces that threaten to overwhelm us.

The stems of ironweed are course and sturdy. It’s clear they can withstand harsh weather and probably even survive being trampled by animals and even field equipment. But the best part of this plant is the rich, royal color of its flowers. They’re incredibly lovely, especially when flirting with goldenrod and other wildflowers.

Herbal Uses

Naturally, people living close to the land have worked with ironweed for millennia. There are a variety of uses associated with this wildflower, with a few mentioned here.

It’s always important to use a high degree of care when working with herbs, wildflowers, and the remedies created with them, because they are often extremely potent – and can have serious repercussions if used with prescription (and non-prescription) medicines. Just because herbs and wildflowers are ‘natural’ does not in any way make their use automatically safe.

Pay attention and see if there’s a lot of ironweed growing near you. I have to wonder why I’m seeing so much more of it this year. Is it just me noticing it? Or is more appearing because on some level the plant world knows what we need, collectively, to restore or bolster our health?