Joe Pye Thoroughwort Eutrochium dubium
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Eupatoriadelphus dubius
- Phonetic Spelling
- yoo-TRO-kee-um DOO-bee-um
- Description
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Coastal plain Joe Pye weed, recently moved from the genus Eupatorium, is an herbaceous flowering perennial in the Asteraceae (daisy) family and is native to the eastern coastal plains and wetlands of North America. Although it grows rather tall, reaching 3 to 6 feet high and 2 to 4 feet wide, dwarf varieties exist for use in smaller spaces.
The Genus name is from the Greek words eu meaning well and troche meaning wheel-like in reference to the whorled leaves. The specific epithet from Latin means doubtful. Joe Pye was reportedly an Indian herbalist and healer from the New England area.
The plant grows easily in a variety of soils from moist, fertile, and humus rich to sandy or gravelly and in full sun to partial shade. It will not tolerate full shade or dry soil. Also, the leaves may scorch if the soil is allowed to dry out. You can cut the plant back to the ground in winter and it will rebound in spring. Note also that the plant spreads by self-seeding.
Coastal plain Joe Pye weed works well in a meadow or naturalized area. Place it also toward the back of a bed as a mass planting or in small groups in a butterfly, cottage, native, pollinator, or rain garden.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. Good resistance to powdery mildew.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Pollinator Garden at the Cabarrus County Extension Office Paths & Walkways Extension Master Gardener℠ Demonstration Garden, Durham Co.
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Eutrochium
- Species:
- dubium
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern coastal plains and wetlands from Maine to South Carolina
- Distribution:
- CT, DE, MA, MD, ME, NC, NJ, NY, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA and WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract many butterflies and bees such as swallowtails, fritillaries, skippers, bumblebees, and carpenter bees. The seeds provide food for songbirds.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Horizontal
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Displays from August to November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small disk flowers are pale pink to dark purple and bloom in large, dome-shaped clusters in the summer. Blooms from July to October.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Prickly
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves appear in whorls of 3-4 on the stem. They are ovate with serrate margins and up to 6 inches long. There are 3 main veins that all begin at the summit of the leafstalk giving it a wrinkled texture.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- purple-spotted hollow stems.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Salt
- Wet Soil
