Joe Pye Weed, aka Eupatorium maculatum, (or in some circles, Eutrochium), is a big favourite with bees, butterflies, and me!

Every year it seems, nature offers me a new favourite flower, perhaps one I’ve previously known about but overlooked. These beautiful natives, despite having the word ‘weed’ in their name, should not be overlooked by gardeners.

The bright pink to mauve flowers offer food to pollinators from July through late September.  A native plant, this lovely, tall specimen thrives in full sun to light shade.

It prefers moist soil, but will tolerate a drier spot if it’s watered well enough in the beginning, so their roots can grow deep enough and therefore not dry out too quickly.

Give them optimum conditions, they’ll grow up to 6 feet tall in Zones 4 through 8.

Their preferred habitat includes moist meadows, or the banks along a stream or pond. Plant them in your butterfly/pollinator garden, or a slightly damp spot on your property.

(If you’re smitten with these flowers like I am, just an FYI that I’ll have some seeds from this lovely plant listed in my Etsy shop over the next day or so.)

Thank you!