Sweet Joe Pye Weed - Eutrochium purpureum

Phonetic: yoo-TRO-kee-um pur-PUR-ee-um

Sturdy and tall, Sweet Joe Pye Weed thrives in a part sun to part shade. It prefers soil that is consistently moist but not water logged, making it a good choice for a rain garden.  Sweet Joe Pye Weed can handle some dryness once established though.

Sweet Joe-Pye weed plays a significant role in supporting native pollinators. Its large, fragrant flower heads are a magnet for butterflies, bees, and other nectar-seeking insects, making it one of the most valuable late-summer nectar sources for pollinator populations. Monarch butterflies, swallowtails, and skippers frequently visit its blossoms, while several species of moths use it as a larval host plant, . By blooming when many other perennials have faded, Sweet Joe-Pye weed helps sustain pollinators through late summer and early fall.

In gardens, Sweet Joe Pye Weed is celebrated for its height, elegance, and ecological benefits. Its tall, sturdy stems and billowing flower clusters make it an ideal choice for the back of borders and rain gardens. The plant’s pink-lavender tones and vanilla-scented blooms create a soft, romantic effect that complements other moisture-loving natives such. Beyond its ornamental beauty, sweet Joe-Pye weed brings motion and life to gardens by attracting clouds of butterflies, turning any landscape into a vibrant, living habitat that balances visual appeal with environmental purpose.

• Hardiness Zone: 3-8
• Native Region: BONAP Map
• BONAP Map Key Color Guide: Map Color Key
• Sun Exposure: Partial Sun To Partial Shade
• Flower Color: Pink
• Bloom Time: July, August, September
• Soil Type: Medium to Moist
• Mature Plant Size: 4-7'H, 3-4W
• Plant Spacing: 3-4'
• Host Plant: Three-lined Flower Moth, Red Groundling, Eupatorium Borer Moth 
• Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Songbirds
• Advantages: Deer resistant, long bloom time, tolerates clay soil, vanilla scented flowers and foliage
• Landscape Uses: Accent plant, cottage gardens, mass planting, perennial borders, pollinator gardens
• Companion Plants: Garden Phlox, Native Bergamot, New England Aster, Obedient Plant, Purple Coneflower, Rose Milkweed
• Deer Resistant