Joe-Pye weed flowers attract butterflies and have a light vanilla fragrance.

By Joyce Corson
Guest Columnist

SYRACUSE — Eupatorium purpureum, or Joe-Pye weed as most people know it, is far from an unwanted weed to me. This attractive plant produces pale pink-purple flowers that last midsummer through fall.

Joyce Arleen Corson

Joe-Pye weed flowers were named after a New England man who used the plant medicinally for helping people with typhus fever. In addition to its medicinal properties, both the flowers and seeds have been used in producing pink or red dye for textiles.

It’s a great addition to nearly any garden and a must have for wildlife lovers, attracting a multitude of butterflies with its sweet nectar.

In their native environments, these plants can be found in thickets and woodlands throughout the eastern half of North America. The plants are hardy from USDA Zones 4-9. They reach heights of anywhere between 3 and 12 feet, offering great focal interest when using Joe-Pye weeds in the garden. In addition, the flowers have a light vanilla fragrance that becomes more intense when crushed.

Joe-Pye weed thrives in full sun to partial shade. For the best care, plant it where it has some protection from the afternoon’s hot sun. Too much intense sun causes yellowing leaves, while too much shade can cause the plant to become leggy, flop over, or be more susceptible to disease.

Due to the large size of Joe-Pye weed, it makes a great background plant but also needs plenty of room to grow. In fact, they are best planted on 24-inch (61 cm.) centers as they will eventually form large clumps.

When growing Joe-Pye weed in the garden, group it with similar woodland plants and ornamental grasses. For those who don’t have this wildflower presently growing on their property, it can usually be found in nurseries and garden centers; however, many of these Joe-Pye weed plants are sold as E. maculatum. This type has more foliage and flower heads than its wild counterpart.

“Gateway” is a popular cultivar for home gardens as it’s a somewhat shorter variety.