All Eupatoriums prefer alkaline soil, so if your soil is acid you will have to add some lime. When manuring or applying composting to the perennial bed, be sure to add some lime to these plants to counteract the natural acidity of organic ammendments.
Eupatoriums are heavy pollen-bearers, and that's why butterflies love them so much. When you look at a flower you are not seeing petals so much as conspicuous, long-projecting styles and stamens -- the sexual parts of the flower.
Eupatoriums also make excellent cut-flowers, being long-lasting and good loose fillers for larger flower bouquets. The only drawback is a slight littering of the table with sexual parts.
FAMILY - Asteraceae - meaning it is related to asters and daisies.
Eupatorium cannabinum - Hemp-leaved Agrimony
This native of a wide range between Scotland and North Africa has leaves that resemble those of the Cannabis plant, hence the species name. It grows on moist soil beside rivers and streams and on the fens (Fenland is a shallow basin or low-lying region. Sometimes it is at or below sea level). It flowers from July to September in an interesting 4-foot tall, flat-topped inflorescence of mauve to pink or rarely white.
Grow hemp-leaved agrimony in rich, moist soil in sun or partial shade.
The variety 'Flore Pleno' has twice the sexual parts, making the flowers fluffier than the plain species.
Eupatorium coelestinum - Mist Flower or Hardy Ageratum
This perennial ranges from Florida to Texas, north to New Jersey, se. Pennsylvania, west to e. Kansas. It bears flat-topped clusters of delicate fuzzy powder-blue flowers from late summer into fall. They are the shortest of the Eupatoriums, growing to only 2 feet (60 cm) tall. They like good moist soil and can live in sun or shade, but in hot summer areas some shade is required.
Eupatorium maculatum - Joe-Pye Weed
This Agrimony ranges in the wild from Newfoundland to British Columbia and south to North Carolina. In it's native habitat, it grows in damp places like open woods, meadows and near rivers and lake shores, usually on rich soils. They flower from July to September in clumps of large purple stems to 6 feet (2 metres) tall.
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