Joe-pye weed makes a wonderful addition to a garden, meadow or wet meadow planting. The color of a mass planting in the late summer early fall is awe inspiring. My sister was married in late August and we used Joe-pye weed in the bouquets on the alter. Many people asked what they were and where we had purchased them. If they had taken a closer look at the plants in the ditches along the road on the way to the church they would have noticed Joe-pye weed.

Joe-pye weed typically flowers in early August into early September.  This Joe Pye has a more open flowerhead than Eutrochium maculatum.The flowers provide nectar for butterflies, honey bees and bumble bees. Joe-pye weed grows from 3 feet up to about 5 feet. The flowers are pale pink or mauve with a glossy purple stem.. The leaves are in whorls along stem.

If you have a wet area in full sun or filtered shade this beauty is a must for you. I have grown this plant in full sun in a relatively dry area. It does quite well but may not attain the height it would in a moist area. Joe-pye weed is a very versatile under utilized plant. It combines well with ferns, white turtlehead and goldenrod. Joe-pye weed emerges late in the spring so plant it with spring bloomer such as marsh marigold and Jack-in-the-pulpit.