Sweetscented Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)

Sweetscented Joe Pye Weed

(Eutrochium purpureum)

Sweetscented Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)

Charles de Mille-Isles

CC BY 2.0

Image By: Charles de Mille-Isles

Recorded By:

Copyright Notice: Photo by: Charles de Mille-Isles | License Type: CC BY 2.0 | License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ | Uploader: Charles de Mille-Isles | Publisher: Flickr

Estimated Native Range

Summary

Eutrochium purpureum, commonly known as Sweetscented Joe Pye Weed, is a deciduous perennial herb that thrives in moist meadows, riverbanks, and damp woodlands in the Central and Eastern USA. It forms dense clumps and typically grows to 1.5–2.4 meters (4.9–7.9 ft) in height and about 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) in width. The plant’s stems are sturdy, round, and take on a purple hue, with whorled leaves at each node that can grow up to 30 cm (12 inches) long and have a wrinkled texture. During its mid to late summer blooming period, Sweetscented Joe Pye Weed produces purplish-pink flowers in large, loose, convex-shaped compound corymbiform arrays that are highly attractive to a variety of pollinators.

This plant is valued for its tall stature, striking flower clusters, and ability to attract beneficial insects, making it a popular choice for naturalistic plantings, rain gardens, and wildlife gardens. It is also used in traditional medicine for various ailments. Sweetscented Joe Pye Weed prefers full sun to part shade and requires medium amounts of water, thriving in mesic to wet soils with good drainage. While it is generally low-maintenance, it can be susceptible to powdery mildew in overly humid conditions. To maintain a tidy appearance and encourage more blooms, deadheading spent flowers is recommended.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

Plant Type: Herb
Height: 5-7 feet
Width: 2-4 feet
Growth Rate: Rapid
Flower Color: Pink, Purple
Flowering Season: Summer, Fall
Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Growth Requirements

Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Drainage: Medium

Common Uses

Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Border Plant, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Fragrant, Hummingbird Garden, Low Maintenance, Rabbit Resistant, Salt Tolerant, Street Planting, Water Garden

Natural Habitat

Moist meadows, riverbanks, and damp woodlands

Other Names

Common Names: Sweet Joepyeweed, Sweetscented Joepyeweed, Purple Joe Pye Weed, Purple-Jointed Joe Pye Weed, Sweet Joe Pye Weed, Sweet-Scented Joe Pye Weed, Marsh-Milkweed, Queen-Of-The-Meadow, Sweet Joe-Pyeweed, Joe-Pye

Scientific Names: , Eutrochium purpureum, Eupatorium purpureum, Eupatorium laevigatum f. laevigatum, Eupatorium laevigatum, Eupatorium purpureum f. amoenum, Eupatorium trifoliatum, Eupatoriadelphus purpureus, Eupatorium falcatum, Eupatorium harnedii

GBIF Accepted Name: Eutrochium purpureum (L.) E.E.Lamont