Plant this native: Joe Pye Weed

A Red-banded Hairstreak dines on Joe Pye Weed blossoms.

This pollinator magnet is a must-have for your garden. 

Depending on the variety of Joe Pye Weed, the plant usually begins flowering in August and continues through to mid-fall, making it a valuable food source for migrating monarch butterflies and native bees. 

Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium maculatum), also sometimes referred to as Spotted Joe Pye Weed, is a great plant to include in the back of the garden due to its height. The flowers are attractive to hummingbirds and it is also a host plant for more than 40 butterfly and moth larvae!

Bumblebees on 'Little Joe' Pye Weed.

Leave the stems standing after the flowers are done blooming for two reasons. One: The hollow stems will also provide shelter to native insects overwintering in your garden. Two: Because the birds will eat the seeds. Keep an eye out for finches, chickadees, wrens, juncos, titmice and sparrows who will all enjoy feasting on the seeds.

A monarch butterfly feeds from Hollow Joe Pye Weed, which varies in height between 4 to 8 feet.

Why you should grow it:

It's easy! And while it favors moist sites, it will tolerate dry conditions, too. It has pink-purplish flowers that bloom on sturdy stems. It will spread throughout the garden over time. If you decide to grow it from seed, sow the seeds in the fall so they can cold stratify over the winter. 

Additional Varieties:

• Eutrochium dubium 'Little-Pye'': Grows 12-14 inches tall. Prefers full to part sun.
• Eutrochium dubium 'Baby Joe': Grows 30-48 inches tall. Prefers full to part sun.
• Eutrochium dubium 'Little Joe': Grows 36-48 inches tall. Prefers full to part sun.
• Eutrochium fistulosum (Hollow Joe Pye Weed): Grows 4-8 feet tall. Prefers full to part sun.
• Eutrochium purpureum (Sweet Joe Pye Weed): Grows 4-7 feet tall.  Prefers part-shade. 

Joe Pye used to be classified under the Eupatorium category (which consisted of 800 species), but is now reclassified as Eutrochium. You may see plant listings that use the words interchangeably.

I included Joe Pye Eeed in Bird-Friendly Gardening in a handful of different projects throughout the book, including the Moisture-Rich Garden, which can include garden spots that are slow to dry out.