Plants 100-400 cm (perennating bases ± erect, internodes winged, at least proximal). Leaves all or mostly alternate (proximal usually opposite); blades lance-elliptic to lanceolate or lance-linear, 10-20 × 2-7 cm, bases ± cuneate, margins coarsely toothed to subentire, apices acute, faces ± hirtellous. Heads 8-35+ in corymbiform to paniculiform arrays. Involucres ± saucerlike, 8-10 mm diam. Phyllaries 12-15+ in 1-2 series, ± spreading, oblanceolate to linear, 2-5+ mm. Ray florets 0. Disc florets 40-60+; corollas ochroleucous to white. Cypselae dark brown to blackish, obovate, 3-4.5+ mm, faces ± strigillose; pappi 1-2 mm (sometimes shorter scales between awns). 2n = 34.

Flowering Aug-Sep. Bottomlands, flood plains, borders of woodlands; 10-300 m; Ala., Ark., Ga., La., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tex.

Verbesina virginica may be no longer present in Georgia and North Carolina.