Eupatorium fistulosum - Joe-Pye weed
"Hollow-stemmed Joe-Pye Weed is a native perennia
wildflower that grows from 2 - 6 feet tall. The
central stem is hollow, giving the plant its common
name. The flowers are fragrant, purple or pin
occur in round clusters of 5 to 7 florets per head.
Flowers appear in mid- to late summer (JulySeptember). The florets produce wind-dispersed
achenes (small dry seed with hair-like bristles). T
ovate (egg-shaped) leaves have conspicuous veins,
grow up to 10 inches long, and usually appear in
whorls of 4 to 7. The fibrous root system somet
p
above and roots below), which create colonies" (USDA NRCS)
Uses
Ethnobotany:
"Native Americans use the tea of
Hollow-stemmed Joe-Pye Weed as a diuretic. A tea
of the roots is used to treat fevers, colds, chills, sore
womb after childbirth, diarrhea, and liver and kidney
ailments. A wash of the root tea is also used for
rheumatism and as a diaphoretic." (USDA NCRS)
Landscaping and wildlife:
Hollow-stemmed Joe-Pye Weed is an outstanding plant in flower and is popular for wet or moist meadow plantings, and native landscape gardens. Make sure to give this plant ample room due to its impressive size. The nectar from the flowers is very attractive to a variety of pollinators, including butterflies, skippers, and longtongued bees. Various caterpillars, such as Schinia trifascia (Three-lined Flower Moth), Papaipema eupatorii (Eupatorium Borer Moth), and Haploa clymene (Clymene Moth) eat various portions of Eupatoriadelphus spp." (USDA NRCS)
Covers:
- "Eupatorium fistulosum flowers plus swallow tail butterfly" By Paul Henjum Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1618492
- "Eupatorium fistulosum - Hollowstem Joe Pye Weed (?)" by FritzFlohrReynolds is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
- "Eupatorium fistulosum" by aspidoscelis is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
- Botany
- Belt, Shawn, and Samantha Kirk. “Hollow-Stemmed Joe-Pye Weed.” USDA NRCS National Plant Materials Center, Beltsville, MD, p. 2.