Joe Pye Weed

 

Come what may in the way of weather, my joe-pye weeb puts on a show in late summer. It is situated near a faucet so I can remember to give it lots of water. But even if I forget, joe-pye carries on. This year the flowers seem to be a lighter pink than usual, but maybe that is just my memory. Most of the ones I see along the roadside are 6-8 feet tall, but mine is much shorter, topping out at 3-4 feet. I grew it from seed I got throught the American Horticulture seed exchange. I have forgotten the variety name but it is probably Gateway which is the only shorter version I have seen referred to. The stems are hollow and tend to fall over unless staked in the taller varieties, but my shorter version does not have that problem. It is also in a sheltered location. I have had this clump for many years and have not divided it, but I probably could. It is not as robust as the taller varieties you see in moist sites, which may be divided every 2 years.
The genus here is Eupatorium, also known as boneset. This and many of the other Eupatoriums are blooming here in September.They all dry well for winter arrangements and wreaths, but for best results in drying, should be picked while the individual flowers are still in bud.
Joe-pye weed is also a great butterfly magnet. All kinds of butterflies are attracted to it.
This is a beautiful perrennial and no more of a weed than I am..I take that back, imean in some ways I am a weed. More on that later.