sweet Joe-Pye-weed

Eutrochium purpureum is a clump-forming herb that grows to 1.5–2.4 meters (4.9–7.9 ft) tall and about 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) wide. Plants are found in full sun to part shade in mesic to wet soils. Stems are upright, thick, round, and purple, with whorls of leaves at each node. As the plant begins to bloom the stems often bend downward under the weight of the flowers. The leaves grow to 30 cm (12 in) long and have a somewhat wrinkled texture. The purplish flowers are produced in large loose, convex shaped compound corymbiform arrays. Plants bloom mid to late summer and attract much activity from insects that feed on the nectar produced by the flowers.

Many species of butterflies, moths, bees, and flies visit the flowers. It is larval host to the eupatorium borer moth (Carmenta bassiformis), the red groundling moth (Perigea xanthioides), the ruby tiger moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa), and the three-lined flower moth (Schinia trifascia). The larvae of Calycomyza flavinotum, a leaf miner fly, create blotch-shaped mines on the leaves.

Like other Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium) species, Eutrochium purpureum is cultivated as an ornamental landscape plant, and has escaped from cultivation in parts of New Zealand. E. purpureum and E. maculatum (spotted Joe Pye weed) are sometimes confused with each other or treated interchangeably in the gardening world due to their similar appearance.

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