09/03/2026
This month, look for Eutrochium maculatum’s purple clustered blooms rising 4-7 feet high from moist, fertile, humus-rich soils. Also known as Joe-Pye-Weed or Spotted Joe-Pye-Weed, the native perennial blooms mid-summer through early fall on tall stems with serrated, lance-shaped green leaves. Deer-resistant, Joe-Pye-Weed’s fragrant blooms do attract pollinators including Eastern tiger swallowtail and black swallowtail butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. These insects attract insectivorous birds, while in the fall, the clustered blooms produce seeds which provide food for the American Goldfinch and other birds and small mammals.
While preferring full sun, Joe-Pye-Weed’s preference for wet spaces makes it a great addition to areas that many landscaping plants do not tolerate, including rain gardens. The plant’s fibrous and rhizomatous roots aid in reducing soil erosion and help the plant spread into colonies that can be divided and replanted.
If you have any questions about native plants or want to learn more, feel free to reach out to DCSWCD’s Catherine Skalda at 607-510-7076, or find us at www.delawarecountystreams.org.
