2023 Native Plant of the Year: Joe Pye Weed

Who you calling roadside weed?

What is Joe Pye Weed?

Joe Pye is one of those unfortunate perennials assumed to be a weed because it’s right there in the name.

Not dissimilar to these other extremely beneficial ‘weeds’:

• Butterly weed and swamp milkweed – both of which are critical resources for the monarch’s lifecycle from eggs to adults

  
  

• The Ironweeds, providers of late-season nectar for monarchs and bees and host plant for moth and butterfly caterpillars (see Mt. Cuba’s Vibrant Vernonia for Every Garden and Vernonia for the Mid-Atlantic Region for an in-depth look at the best performers for our area)

  
  

• And pickerelweed, a staple of the Chesapeake Bay wetland ecosystems where it stabilizes shorelines, filters pollutants, and creates spawning grounds for local amphibians (see Chesapeake Bay Program’s post on Surprising perks of the pickerelweed for more information on the role this ‘weed’ plays in protecting the Bay)

And then there’s Joe Pye weed – stately, beautiful, bountiful, and (don’t tell the other plants) hands-down my favorite.

Up to 7’ tall in shades of bloom from dusky rose to deep purple, Joe Pyes are just as loved by pollinators.

What is Joe Pye good for?

In Maryland, there are numerous Joe Pye varieties all of which are food sources for Monarchs, Swallowtails, hummingbirds and native bees, and each of which brings their own special attributes to the table.

In our yard, we have:

• Spotted Joe Pye weed (eutrochium maculatum)

Up to 7’ tall and preferring moist soils like rain garden edges, this Joe Pye gets its name from the purple spots on its stem. It’s fibrous root system helps stabilize wetland soils.

• Coastal Plain Joe Pye weed (eutrochium dubium)

Also preferring moist soils and also with spotted stems, coastal plain Joe Pye weed is smaller in stature, growing up to 5’ tall. The native cultivars Baby Joe and Little Joe grow up to 3’ and 4’ tall, respectively, making them suitable for smaller gardens.

• Hollow Joe Pye weed (eutrochium fistulosum)

Eutrochium fistulosum’s hollow stems (which are usually not spotted) provide shelter for solitary bees and beneficial insects which is why we recommend not cutting down hollow Joe Pye weed until new shoots appear in very late Spring.

• Sweet Joe Pye weed (eutrochium purpureum)

Eutrochium purpureum is the Joe Pye in our area that doesn’t prefer moist soils. It is a larval host for more than 15 species of butterflies and moths and, like the others, provides seed for birds during the colder months

There are few plants in the garden that are busier with summer activity than Joe Pye.

How did Joe Pye perform in 2023?

In Maryland, Summer 2023 was defined by periods of drought and poor air quality from Canadian wildfires and yet Joe Pye thrived, boding well for its climate resilience.

Spring slumber

For the first several years after planting Joe Pye weed, I swore every Spring it was dead, that’s how much of a late starter it is. By May, Joe Pye’s green and purple asparagus-like stems start to eventually poke out.

Summer frenzy

Once summer hits, the Joe Pyes quickly grow from nothing to full height in a matter of weeks.

And remain covered in pollinators from July through September.

Fall flower heads

As the blossoms fade, the flower heads dry up and turn to fluffy seeds that are readily eaten by local songbird like Goldfinches, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Sparrows.

Winter warmth

Joe Pye weeds left standing through Winter provide visual interest and shelter for birds and overwintering bugs.

An all-season, all-star, Joe Pye - in all its forms - has earned its place as our 2023 Native Plant of the Year.

For more information on this roadside – and garden – champion, including the history of its Mohican name, visit Cornell University’s excellent Fruition blog entry on Joe Pye weed.