PlantFiles: New York Ironweed
Vernonia noveboracensis

I found 4 of these listed on ebay as joe pye lol.
I still have the same 4 plants a year later, they've not reproduced or spread at all. We have thick clay soil.
Stunning plant, mine must be at least 8 ft tall. The one that gets the most sun is the tallest.

I've seen these often in cow pastures in NE Ohio where we live. I've also seen them along the road, usually always these sightings are in deep summer. I know that the flowers dry pretty - well, actually, if you cut the flowers & bring them in the house the flowers stay pretty for a LONG time. Technically, I haven't ever dried them, but you probably could. It's such a beautiful deep purple color. The stems are impossible to break off, you almost need pruners although scissors would probably work. You would DEFINITELY want to plant this flower @ the back of your bed because the rest of the plant is just a stem & leaves all the way @ the base; also, it's pretty tall (i think about 3 feet, but i guess it depends on how much water it gets?)

Approximately 5 feet tall in average soil on Cape Cod. Tall and stately in center of butterfly garden - a nice contrast to Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' and a perfect color match to Buddleia 'Royal Red'

These plants grace the damp road ditches and meadow edges every fall here in west KY. They make a welcome splash of color just when things are starting to look tired.

Found in NH and NY, south to FL, west to AL, and north to KY and WV.

Once used by the Pioneers to treat stomach ailments.

It's often seen in fields around here, but it should be cultivated in the back of the border - it has such a rich purple color in fall, and contrasts nicely with the golden hues of Rudbeckias. Definitely worth growing if you have the space - just put something sturdy in front of it so it doesn't flop about (I suspect having soil on the thin/poor side helps keep the growth in check.)

Pruning: Deadheading plants before seed set can reduce prolific seeding, which may occur particularly in moist areas. First year seedlings may be desirable, though, as they are interesting, usually short 12 to 14 inches high plants with intense purple flowers and may be more attractive than the parent plant. When grown in rich moist soil, plants can tower to 9 feet tall, too large for many perennial gardens. Plants respond to a variety of pruning methods, to reduce their height, to create fuller plants, to stagger bloom time, or to layer plantings. One such method is to cut the plants down to the ground when they reach 2 feet tall, another is to cut plants back by 1 or 2 ft when they are 3-4 ft tall.
Interesting native plant that prefers moist, slightly acidic conditions. The moister the soil the taller the plant may be.