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Joe-Pye Weed

Eupatorium dubium

Joe-Pye weed is a native perennial plant with feathery, pinkish-purple flowers that bloom in mid- to late summer.

Appearance:

• Clusters of tiny, feathery, pinkish-purple flowers
• Flowers bloom in July-September
• Thick, mottled, pink and purple stems
• Large, toothed leaves arranged in whorls on the stem
• Grows to 5 feet or taller

Habitat:

• Found in wetlands and wet areas, including marshes, swamps, bogs, swales, ditches and roadsides
• Grows in full or partial sun

Range:

• Grows throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed

Reproduction and Life Cycle:

• After blooming, flowers mature into a seed head
• Wind, animals and other natural disturbances spread the seeds
• New seedlings grow in spring

Other Facts:

• Attracts bees, birds and butterflies
• Named after Joe Pye, a 19^th century naturalist from New England who is said to have used the plant’s roots to heal typhus fever

Sources and Additional Information:

• Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• PLANTS Profile for Eupatoriadelphus dubius – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Eupatoriadelphus dubius – The University of Texas at Austin