Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Spotted
Joe-Pye Weed
Eupatorium maculatum (Eutrochium maculatum)
[C-value
5]
Aster family (Asteraceae)
Blooms July
- mid-September
The beautiful native Spotted Joe-Pye Weed is common in our marshes and fens. It likes full or partial sun, wet to moist mineral-rich soil and is tolerant of water-logged conditions. This perennial is 3-6' tall and unbranched, except for flowerhead-bearing stalks near the apex of the plant. The central stout stem is either purple-spotted or purple. It has whorls of 4-5 leaves, yellowish green, up to 7" long and 2˝" across, broadly elliptic and toothed. The central stem terminates in a panicle of flowerheads spanning 3-6" across. Each narrow flower is about 1/3" long with 8-20 pink to purplish pink disk florets and no ray florets. Each tiny disk floret has a narrow tubular corolla with 5 spreading petals along its upper rim and a strongly exerted style.
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed in fen at Lyon Forest Preserve August 15, 2013
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed (pre-blooming) in fen at Lyon Forest Preserve August 15, 2013
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed in fen at Lyon Forest Preserve August 31, 2015
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed in fen at Lyon Forest Preserve August 15, 2013
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Spotted Joe-Pye Weed in fen at Lyon Forest Preserve August 28, 2012
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed along lower fen boardwalk at Lyon FP Aug. 15, 2013
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed after blooming in fen at Lyon Forest Preserve October 31, 2014
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed fall seed heads in fen at Lyon Forest Preserve October 31, 2014
Joe-Pye Weed was named after a Native American medicine man named “Jopi” about time of the American Revolution. It was his favorite “weed” for treating typhoid fever because it made you sweat profusely. He also used it for kidney or urinary tract problems. Reminder: see our Do Not Disturb Notice.
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