Board Minutes 2017-10-11 Rev

Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association

22 hours ago

Incorporating Native Plants in Your Garden – Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.) - by EMG Intern Jenn

Eutrochium spp, or Joe Pye Weed, is a particularly important native plant to include in your garden due to its attractiveness to birds, numerous butterflies and other pollinators, and especially to honey and native bees. It also serves as a caterpillar host plant for various butterflies and moths. And it’s really a spectacular plant!

Ranging from 4-8’ and producing tiny lavender-pink flowers in florets, it blooms from July to September. It prefers moist to wet well-drained soils, but can grow in a variety of soil types. Joe Pye Weed does best in sunny open areas, or the edge of a forest. If planted in part shade, the plants may need staking. This is a plant that needs space, but when planted in groups, the effect is stunning. Another common name for one species (E. fistulosum) is Queen of the Meadow!

There are several Eutrochium species, including E. maculatum (Spotted Joe Pye Weed), E. Fistulosum (Hollow Joe Pye Weed), and E. purpureum (sweetscented Joe Pye Weed). All should be easy to find at native plant nurseries and seed companies. One cultivar, “Little Joe”, tops out at 2-3’, if eight feet sounds like too much. The plant family is Asteraceae, or Aster. Native to Eastern and Central North America, the genus name is derived from the Greek words "eu" meaning well and "troche" meaning wheel-like in reference to the whorled leaves. According to legend, Joe Pye was an 18th century Native American medicine man.

How to propagate? Stem cuttings are particularly successful. Flowers give way to attractive seed heads which persist well into winter (several species of swallow feed on these), and seeds can be planted in the fall (plant thickly as germination is usually low). Only a small percentage of seed will be viable; these will be plump and swollen. To collect, either take the entire top of the plant or shake it into a paper bag. Seeds can be allowed to dry out before sowing and do not have to be perfectly cleaned. Store in a sealed refrigerated container. No serious insect or disease problems, although leaves may scorch if the soil is allowed to dry out. If the clump gets too big, it may be divided in fall or spring.

Learn more at www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c740 or
www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=eufi14

Photo of Tiger Swallowtail on unidentified Joe Pye Weed, courtesy of EMG Stacey. ... See MoreSee Less

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