Jenny's Garden...plant images & gardening descriptions

Eupatorium fistulosum
(Hollow Joe Pye Weed, Queen-of-the-Meadow, Trumpetweed)

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Image shows the beautiful flowerhead of the bird and butterfly attractor, Eupatorium  fistulosum or Hollow Joe Pye Weed


Queen- of-the-Meadow, Trumpetweed or Eupatorium fistulosus in full bloom

Eupatorium fistulosum
(Hollow Joe Pye Weed,  Queen- of-the-Meadow, Trumpetweed)


Synonym:  Eupatoriadelphus fistulosus
Family:  Asteraceae  (Aster)
Origin:  Native to North America
Light:  Sun-part shade
Height:  4-6'
Spread:  3-4'
Blooms:  Beautiful, rounded, terminal cluster, 5-6 flowers on large pink flowerhead, from mid-Summer to ealy Fall
Foliage:  Rough textured, can be as long as 10" and as wide as 4", green, in whorls of 3-5, irregularly-toothed margin, veined, tiered, apple-scented when crushed
Stems:  Hollow, smooth, erect, herbaceous, purple mottling on purplish-green stems
Seeds:  Brown seedheads
Soil:  Well-drained, keep moist
Water: Abundant
Propagation: Seeds (Sow directly as soon as possible outdoors in the Fall), stem cuttings taken in late Spring, plant divisions in the Fall when plants go into dormancy or in Spring at first signs of new growth
Caution:  Plant can be invasive
Uses:  Back of the border, containers, wet garden, mass planting  specimens, wooded edges
Comments: 
 Eupatorium fistulosum or Hollow Joe Pye Weed,  Queen- of-the-Meadow, Trumpetweed or Eupatorium fistulosus is a tall and handsome native perennial commonly found in moist wooded edges and meadows and it is also cultivated in many gardens.  This carefree perennial is very similar to Eupatorium purpureum but the flowerhead on Eupatorium purpureum is lighter in color and the stems are more greenish.  Hollow Joe Pye Weed has beautiful pink blossoms borne on purple erect stems that birds, bees and butterflies adore.  It thrives well in a moist, sunny to part shade area, given plenty of room for it to expand.  Trumpetweed is low maintenance  looks attractive as a container plant for the patio and a good way to keep them under control.  Grown en masse,  Queen- of-the-Meadow make excellent back of the border plants.  The ornamental seedheads appear 1 month after flowers have faded and they provide Winter interest.  The seeds are easily propagated in the Fall. Trim to the ground in late Winter for a more vigorous growth next season.  Eupatorium fistulosum look majestic at the back of my perennial border.  There are several other species of Eupatorium.  The Cherokee Indians used the hollow stems of Joe Pye Weed as a straw to drink water from shallow springs and as a blowgun to apply medicine.   Some herbalist believed this species has similar actions of other species which have been used by American Indians as folklore medicine. Interestingly, an American Indian named Joe Pye had cured typhus with this plant, hence the common name.  
USDA Hardiness Zones : 
3-8