Joe-pye Weed

Common name: Joe-pye weed

Botanical name:Eupatorium purpureum

Virtues: Summer-to-autumn bloom. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators.

Flowers: Small rosy flowers are held in clusters atop purple stems.

Foliage: Lance-shaped and dark green.

Habit: Herbaceous perennial, can reach 5 to 7 feet tall, half as wide.

Season: Late summer.

Origin: Moist prairies and wood edges of the eastern half of the United States.

Cultivation: Grow in full sun to part shade, in moist soil. Does not like dry conditions; drought can cause leaf scorch. Given the moisture it prefers, this plant is very easy to grow. USDA Zones 4–9.