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Spotted JoePye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum (L.) E.E. Lamont
(formerly Eupatorium maculatum L.)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)
▲▼ mature flowering plants
▲ flower head inflorescences
▲ stems and leaves, showing whorled leaf arrangement
Eutrochium maculatum
(L.) E.E. Lamont,
(formerly
Eupatorium maculatum
L.), Spotted Joe-Pye-Weed:
(Bayer Code:
EUPML; US Code EUMA6)
·
U.S.
native simple perennial with solid, purple (or green with purple spots) usually
with short, soft hairs; stems that can grow 2-7 feet tall; stem branching can be
from base, but more in upper ½ to 1/3 of stem
·
Leaves are in whorls of 4-5 at nodes, lighter green, lanceolate, with toothed
margins
·
Head inflorescences are born in rounded to almost flattened panicles at tips of
stems
·
Individual flower heads are about 0.33 inch diameter, with 8-20 pink ,
dusty-pink to purplish disk flowers (no ray flowers)
·
Bracts below inflorescence are in multiple layers, oval, purplish-pink; tips are
round-pointed
·
Flowering time is from mid-summer to early fall
·
Prefers moist, fertile soils in meadows, pastures,
prairies, along ditches, marshes, streambanks; is also widely-planted as a
rain-garden, wetland prairie plant, or as an ornamental in landscapes,
wildflower areas
·
May be toxic if overgrazed, but a favorite of butterflies
·
Similar species include:
o
Hollow-stemmed
Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium
fistulosum) has hollow, usually hairless stems, and large, open panicle
inflorescences; flower heads have 5-7 disk flowers
o
Sweet Joe-Pye Weed
(Eutrochium purpureum) has mostly
solid stems, but flowers are more lilac, pink or whitish, and flower heads have
4-6 disk flowers