Joe-Pye weed grows along the seasonal brook at the edge of our property
The dusky mauve color complements the goldenrods also in bloom at this time
, says, “The combination of Joe-Pyes, goldenrod, and asters all flowering together gives fall color another meaning.” Armitage confirms what I’ve always maintained, that fall starts in mid-August here, though I have to admit that the asters are just starting, while the Joe-Pye weed and the goldenrod are at their peak. They do look swell together.
Three eupatoriums are fairly similar. I know my Joe-Pye weed is Eupatorium fistulosum because I cut one open and saw that it has hollow stems. The other two, E. purpureum and E. maculatum, both have solid pith, but E. maculatum has spots on the stems. According to William Cullina in Wildflowers: A Guide to Growing and Propagating Native Flowers of North America
As you would expect from a native plant, the blossoms attract a variety of wildlife.
A bumblebee and a moth share the wealth on Joe-Pye blossom. Do you know the name of the butterfly?
Posted for Wildflower Wednesday, created by Gail of Clay and Limestone, to share wildflowers/native plants no matter where you garden in the blogasphere. It doesn’t matter if we sometimes show the same plants. How they grow and thrive in your garden is what matters most. It’s always the fourth Wednesday of the month!
About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. • USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level: intermediate • Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY native plants, gardening with/for children
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Twitter: @flaneurgardener
For your info, Joe Pye weed and goldenrod also grow happily in my garden in Denmark, though their bloom is about a month apart here with the Joe Pye weed blooming in early August and the goldenrod at the very end of August.
Soren´s last [type] ..Lo! how a rose eer blooming
Thank you for stopping by to share that. It is certainly intriguing to learn how our native plants grow in a different, non-native climate.
I bought 2 eupatorium purpureum from a nursery that didn’t bloom this year, and one of them has a white fungus on it’s leaves. Than I have another Joepye weed I dug up along the side of the road and it is blooming nicely and covered with bee’s and butterfly’s. Guess I will go check the stems to see what kind it is. Thanks for the info. Wonder why the two didn’t bloom?
Nursery life is rough on plants. They could have been root-bound, started unnaturally early or who knows what. I’d give them another year to settle in before deciding they are just sub-par.
This is only the second year for my one Joe Pye in the garden, but it has certainly lived up to my expectations–I love this plant! I’m not sure what cultivar I have, but it looks a little different than yours. It’s already past its prime blooming time, so unfortunately I won’t get to see it in combination with the goldenrod, which is blooming, and the asters, which aren’t.
Rose´s last [type] ..Three Wildflowers for Wednesday and Thursday
Joe Pye is new to me, I’ll keep my eye open for it as I’m out and about. Lovely.
Twitter: @clayanlimestone
kathy, I really like this plant and even tho it loves a moister soil it seems happy in my heavy clay. Like Frances, I’m going to check out the stems. I feel the changes in the air and light, but goldenrod is not yet blooming and JP is almost finished. We really do have so many plants in common even if we are thousands of miles apart. gail
Nice pics…love Joe Pye…have several varieties and you are right, bees and butterflies go crazy for them…it’s not unusual to have a dozen bees swarming each flower head!
Scott´s last [type] ..Ladybugs to the Rescue!
Beautiful. My Joe Pye seems over–it really should be blooming now. It is a great plant and will put up with all kinds of conditions.
Twitter: @indygardener
I’m on the look out for some good joe pye weed to add to my garden for fall color.
Carol´s last [type] ..May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers
Twitter: @Faire Garden
Hi Kathy, we love the Joe Pye, all varieties of them. Thanks for the ID info. We will look for spots but believe ours is a named type called Gateway which might be a mix. Your butterfly looks to be a variegated fritillary, one that we have hanging around Big Joe here as well. Fall begins mid August here too.
Frances´s last [type] ..A River Runs Through It