“The Joe Pye is eye-high by the end of July.” And, right now, in mid-August, it’s at its peak. This reliable North American native thrives this time of year in West Michigan. Typically referred to as a “fall bloomer,” it will be one of the last native plants to color your garden before winter.
The Weed You Need
Technically called Joe Pye weed, this is one weed you’ll actually want to encourage in the garden. You can’t do much better for the environment than Joe Pye weed, a native plant as well as a power-pollinator. If you enjoy birds, bees, and butterflies in the yard, Joe Pye is your guy! This plant is a party on a stem for these creatures, offering plenty of food and drinks for all.
In addition to benefitting wildlife, Joe Pye has a treat for your eye, as well. You’ll enjoy a thriller of a plant, growing up to 7 to 9 feet tall and about half as wide, with huge and plentiful clusters of tiny purple-pink flowers popping out all along its long, thick stems, for up to two months! That’s some amazing Flower Power to keep the color chugging in your garden right on into fall.
Color and wildlife are not the only delights Joe Pye brings to the yard. It’s a tough, non-invasive, low-maintenance perennial that resists deer and tolerates clay soil. Just give it the room it needs to grow and thrive and that’s about it. Like most flowering perennials, it’s going to love living in full sun to part shade. Keep its soil more wet than not. Cut dead stems to the ground in late winter or early spring and Joe Pye will say, “Hi” once again every year.
Joe is Late to Show
It will take all spring and part of the summer for Joe to show. Be aware that you may not even see leaves until May. And, once you do, don’t be alarmed if those leaves get a little chewed up by caterpillars. Soon enough those damaged leaves will be covered with new foliage. By bloom-time those caterpillars will be happy butterflies and moths, living off Joe Pye nectar instead of leaves.
The varieties we carry right now at Knapp Valley Gardens are considered dwarf –– “only” growing to about 3 or 4 feet high. We have the taller variety growing in our on-site gardens, a gift Joe left behind from plants we sold in the past. Seeds can blow in the wind or be carried by birds. And then, there’s Joe, showing up unexpectedly. But you can just grab him by the root and toss him out, “Hit the road, Joe!”
Another defense is to cut the blooms before they turn to seed and enjoy your Joe Pye in cut flower bouquets as well. Who knew a weed could be so wonderful?
