Joe Pye weed
Pictured above: Eastern black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) on Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium fistulosum) by Emily Bell. Click on terms for botanical definitions. View post as a PDF.
Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium fistulosum) is a robust summer-blooming wildflower that occurs in moist hammocks, flatwoods, fields and ditches. Its many wispy pink flowers attract a wide variety of pollinators and are a favorite of butterflies. The seeds are consumed by small birds.
Joe Pye weed has stout, unbranched stems that are purplish to light green with a white waxy coating. Its toothed leaves are narrowly elliptic to lance-shaped and arranged in whorls of three to seven. Leaves can reach up to ten inches long. The light pink flowers are born in small clusters that form a large, domed terminal inflorescence. Each flowerheads contains four to seven tubular disk florets that are each around 1/3 inch long.
Photo by Emily Bell
The common name Joe Pye weed is used for several species in the Eutrochium genus. While the botanical origins of this name remain a mystery, research links it to Joseph Shauquethqueat, a Mohican tribal leader from the late 18th and early 19th centuries who used the name Joe Pye in dealings with colonizers.
This species was previously known as Eupatorium fistulosum and may still be listed in some resources as such.
Family: Asteraceae (Aster, composite or daisy family)
Native range: Disjointed populations in the Panhandle and east Central Florida
To see where natural populations of Joe Pye weed have been vouchered, visit florida.plantatlas.usf.edu.
Lifespan: Perennial
Soil: Moist, well-drained sandy, loamy or lime rock soils
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Growth habit: Up to 10’ tall and 5’ across
Propagation: Seed, cuttings, division
Florida regions of landscape suitability: North, Central
Garden tips: Joe Pye weed’s impressive height and striking blooms make it a dramatic focal point in the pollinator garden — but placement is important. It is best suited for a back border among other perennials or in a naturalistic settings.
Plants are occasionally available from nurseries that specialize in Florida native plants. Visit www.PlantRealFlorida.org to find a nursery in your area. Seeds may be available from the Florida Wildflower Growers Cooperative at www.FloridaWildflowers.com.
Learn more about Joe Pye weed from the Florida Native Plant Society and the Institute for Regional Conservation.