Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatum

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Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatum

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Kemper Code: B826

Common Name: Joe Pye weed
Zone: 4 to 9
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: Eastern United States
Height: 4 to 7 feet
Spread: 2 to 4 feet
Bloom Time: July - September Bloom Data
Bloom Color: Light to deep purple
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low

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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun. Prefers moist, fertile, humusy soils which do not dry out. Cut plants to the ground in late winter. Best propagation is by cuttings.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatum (formerly E. maculatum) primarily differs from species plants (see E. purpureum C740) by having purple-speckled stems and flower heads of 8-20 florets. It seems to have better winter hardiness than the species, and also tends to prefer moist soils whereas the species is more of an open woodland plant. This subspecies is native to damp meadows, thickets and coastal areas in eastern North America. It is also sometimes commonly called spotted Joe Pye weed in reference to the stems. Plants typically grow 4-7’ tall on branched, purple-speckled stems clad with serrate, lance-shaped, medium green leaves (to 8” long) that typically appear in whorls of 3-6. Tiny, light to deep purple flowers in flat-topped, compound inflorescences bloom in mid-summer to early fall. Flowers are quite attractive to butterflies.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems. Leaves may scorch if soils are allowed to dry out.

Uses:

Tall plant for moist soils in borders, cottage gardens, meadows, native plant gardens, wild/naturalized areas or water margins.