Joe-Pye Weed, Eupatorium purpureum, is an amazing plant that is
an herb, a wildflower, a butterfly plant and an ornamental for the
flower bed. It obtained its name after a Native American herbalist,
named Joe-Pye, cured fevers using the Eupatorium plant. Though
we tend to think of it as a wildflower in the U.S., it's long been an
ornamental plant in England where cottage gardens are so popular.
Joe-Pye is perky and full of blooms when many other plants are
finished and it lasts until hard frost. Place it in the back of the
border or give it a corner all its own in a sunny, fertile position.
Joe-Pye does best when it's placed in a moist location, but it will
adapt to a dryer location, even though it won't do its best. If you
enrich the soil with organic matter and keep it watered, it should
do fine.
If you have a butterfly garden, then Joe-Pye a must-have plant! The
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Great Spangled Fritillary, Pearl Crescent,
Monarch, and the Tawny-edged Skipper are just some of butterflies
known to love Joe-Pye. It's a perennial that can be divided every 2
years. The stalks are hollow and will fall over if not sheltered from
the wind. They will look neater if they are staked early. Pinch back
Joe-Pye plants in the early summer it will help them grow a little
shorter and bushier. They bloom July through October or till frost.
Joe-Pye can be started from seed indoors 8-10 weeks prior to the
last spring frost. Sow on seed starting mix, lightly covering so light
can reach the seeds. Moisten the mix and place the pot or container
in a plastic bag. Place the covered container in the refrigerator for
8-10 weeks, then remove it and set in a room where it's 68-70ºF.
The seed should germinate in 3-7 days. You can also direct seed
in any season into the soil if you are growing it as a wildflower. If
you want to collect seeds from the plant, they will be very very thin,
and tiny--at the base of the cluster of flowers. The seeds for Joe-Pye
can be found here.
Joe-Pye is known by the common names Queen of the Meadow,
gravel root, kidney root, mist-flower, snakeroot and purple boneset.
There are quite a few varieties of Eupatorium to choose from. The
smallest is a dwarf variety, E. maculatum (Gateway) that grows to
about 4 foot tall, and has reddish stems, more blooms and larger
flowerheads. It's very cold hardy, and will grow even in Zone 3.
It can also be grown in large containers, as long as it watered
regularly. The Gateway variety of Joe-Pye is carried by Nature Hills.
Other varieties are E. aromaticum; E. perfoliatum, E. rugosum, E.
coelestinum, and E. purpureum. Some will grow to 10 foot tall!
They range from darker purples, wine, lavender and white. The
purple shades seem to attract butterflies better than the white. Be
SURE to check when buying as to the height of the variety so you
won't be surprised. Some varieties are more fragrant than others,
and they have a vanilla-like fragrance. If you aren't growing it for
butterflies, it also makes a lovely cut flower and they can be dried
as well.
Joe-Pye will combine beautifully with butterfly bush (buddleia),
Liatris, bee balm (Monarda), yarrow, and anise hyssop. It really
is unfortunate that this lovely plant was labeled with the word
"weed" because it's nothing of the sort, and is beneficial to our
planet in so many ways.
About the author:
Brenda Hyde is a wife and mom to three living in the Midwest
United States. She is also editor of OldFashionedLiving.com.
Perennial & Landscaping Resources
Breck's: Bulbs & Plants
Spring Hill Nursery
Michigan Bulb
Henry Field's
Gurney's Seed & Nursery
Jackson & Perkins
White
Flower Farm
Nature Hills Nursery
