Harbingers of Fall - Part I - Eupatorium© Marge Talt
Sep 9, 1997
I don't know about you, but I tend to garden merrily along, somehow feeling that the gardening season will just go on and on until, one day, I look up and certain plants have come into bloom that always warn me that time is getting short. Fall is just around the corner and I'd better get busy and finish the projects I've been poking along on, during those hot summer weekends.
Eupatorium Joe Pye Weed is the first one to tell me that summer is coming to an end in my USDA zone 7 garden. Two of about 500 species of mostly perennial herbs and shrubs are documented with this common name: Eupatorium maculatum (Joe Pye Weed, Spotted Joe Pye Weed) is native to eastern and central United States with a range extending west. You may have seen it growing in ditches along the roadside. They really like moist soil and tolerate alkaline soils. They prefer sun, but will grow and flower in light shade. They are hardy to USDA zones 2 and 3. In marshy soil or damp soil in shade, they can reach ten feet in height (3 + meters). Eupatorium purpureum (Sweet Joe-Pye-Weed, Green-stem Joe-Pye-Weed, Bluestem Joe-Pye-Weed, Gravelroot) is native, primarily of the eastern United States but is also found in the Midwest. These two plants are quite similar in appearance with the main differences of stem coloration (E. purpureum has green stems, sometimes with purple nodes; E. maculatum has purple spotted stems) and leaf size. The leaves on E. purpureum can reach 12 inches (30 cm) in length and are scented of vanilla when bruised. Their flowerheads are made up of fewer flowers and colors range from yellowish-white through pinkish to purplish, whereas E. maculatum's flowers are generally purple. I've had one or the other of these two species around in various spots, but the one that I grow on purpose was sold to me as E. atropurpurea — 'Gateway.' A substantial amount of research indicates that atropurpurea is not a recognized species. There may be a cultivar of E. purpureum called 'Atropurpureum', which has purple stems and leaf veins. My plants have this. I have also seen 'Gateway' for sale in various nursery catalogs. At this point, I think my plants' true botanical identity is up for grabs. They are lovely, that I do know. The huge flowerheads, magnets for butterflies and bees, are decorated with Swallowtails all summer — just like this photo shows.
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In response to message posted by Frances36:
Hi Frances, Welcome to Gardening in Shade! Yes, you can divide Jo Pye. Th ...
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I was wondering if you can divide the roots for transplanting and sharing. If you can, what is the best time to do so?
Thank you.
Frances Yancey ...
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Hi Marge! Both of ours are indeed in full sun, and I know hers got more water than mine did. Makes sense it would stretch in the shade, too.I have seen a white version of Joe Pye called Bartered ...
-- posted by Cottage_Garden
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Hi Barbara,Yes, I think cultural differences could account for the flower size because I've got it in two places; one is the gravel parking area, where it seeded, and the other is in the berm bord ...
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Hi Marge! Here's a question for you. I grow a clump of what was supposed to be "Gateway", and it's really nice and has grown well for me, and the flowers are about the size of dessert plates. A cli ...
-- posted by Cottage_Garden
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