Purple Joe Pye Weed

Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District

Purple Joe-Pye Weed (Joe Pye Weed)
Eupatorium purpureum [C-value 7]
Aster family (Asteraceae)
Blooms July - mid-September

The native Purple Joe-Pye Weed is common in our area. This perennial prefers light shade to partial sun and moderately moist rich loamy soil. Habitats include woodland borders and openings, savannas, partially shaded seeps and edges of fens. It is 3-7' tall with whorls of 3-4 leaves, each up to 6" long and 3½" across, toothed and broadly lance-shaped. The central stem terminates in one or more large dome-shaped panicles of compound flowers. Each compound flower has 5-8 disk florets. The corolla of each disk floret is whitish pink to purplish pink and tubular in shape with 5 tiny teeth along its upper rim. A divided white style is strongly exerted from each disk floret.

Purple Joe-Pye Weed at Hoover Forest Preserve July 20, 2015

Purple Joe-Pye Weed at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve July 1, 2012

Note the whorl pattern of leaves (3-4)

Giant Swallowtail on Purple Joe-Pye Weed at Richard Young Forest Preserve August 2, 2011

Purple Joe-Pye Weed at Richard Young Forest Preserve August 1, 2012

Purple Joe-Pye Weed fall seedhead at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve October 29, 2014

Joe-Pye Weed was named after a medicine man named “Jopi” about the time of the American Revolution. It was his favorite “weed” for treating typhoid fever because it made one sweat profusely. Native Americans also used it for kidney or urinary tract problems. Reminder: see our Do Not Disturb Notice.

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