Common Name: Joe Pye weed
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 3 to 8
Height: 4.00 to 7.00 feet
Spread: 2.00 to 4.00 feet
Bloom Time: July to September
Bloom Description: Rose-purple
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize, Rain Garden
Flower: Showy, Good Cut, Good Dried
Attracts: Butterflies
Tolerate: Deer, Erosion, Clay Soil, Wet Soil
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Plants prefer moist, fertile, humus-rich soils which do not dry out. Best in full sun. Tall stemmed plants are more likely to need support in part shade locations. Cut plants to the ground in late winter.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Eutrochium fistulosum, commonly called hollow Joe Pye weed, is a tall Missouri native perennial which uncommonly occurs in low moist ground, wet meadows, wet thickets and stream margins mostly in the far southeastern corner of the State. It is an erect, clump-forming perennial which typically grows 4-7' tall and features coarsely-serrated, lance-shaped, dark green leaves (to 12" long) in whorls of 4-7 (frequently 6) on sturdy green stems which are hollow. Tiny, vanilla-scented, dull pinkish-purple flowers in large, terminal, domed, compound inflorescenses (12-18" diameter) bloom in mid-summer to early fall. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies. Flowers give way to attractive seed heads which persist well into winter. Hollow Joe Pye weed is similar in appearance to both spotted Joe Pye weed (E. maculatum) and sweet Joe Pye weed (E. purpureum, but is primarily distinguished by its larger leaf whorls and hollow stems which usually lack spotting.
Genus name is derived from the Greek words eu meaning well and troche meaning wheel-like in reference to the whorled leaves.
Specific epithet means hollow.
'Atropurpureum' is noted for having rose-purple flowers (darker than the species) and burgundy-purple stems.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Leaves may scorch if soils are allowed to dry out.
Uses
Many people perceive Joe Pye weed to be nothing more than a roadside weed and have never seriously considered its outstanding ornamental attributes. It is a substantial plant which needs space, but when planted in groups or massed can provide spectacular flowering and architectural height. Border rears, cottage gardens, meadows, native plant gardens, wild/naturalized areas or water margins.