Monday, August 17, 2009

The Joe-Pye Weed Is Back ....


Down in the field yesterday, to my delight, I noticed the Joe-Pye Weed has returned. A beautiful combination of Queen-Anne's Lace and Joe-Pye Weed as far as the eye can see.


Mixed in between grasses were these tiny yellow flowers. I thought at first it maybe Black-Eye Susan's but not sure.
The Joe-Pye Weed, Eupatorium purpureum, is an amazing plant that is an herb, a wildflower, a butterfly plant and an ornamental for the flower bed. It obtained its name after a Native American herbalist, named Joe-Pye, cured fevers using the Eupatorium plant. Though we tend to think of it as a wildflower in the U.S., it's long been an ornamental plant in England where our cottage gardens are so popular.


I enjoy gathering the flowers, stems and all, to hang from the rafters of my potting shed.
Surprisingly enough they stay vividly colored until late Winter.


8 comments:

Patsy said...

I have been having blogger problems with updates on my post.
The wild flowers are beautiful and make me happy to look out and see them, great post.
Patsy

DJan said...

Here is another sign that summer is coming to a close: these are late summer flowers, aren't they? Whatever they are, they are so lovely. Queen Ann's Lace is one of my favorites. I've never seen the Joe-Pye before: thanks for the introduction!

Wanda..... said...

I have a field of similar flowers...right now it's blackeye susans and ironweed.

Sharon Rose said...

Jo, thank you for the walk in the wildwood.

Andora said...

Hi there,great post,I too love the flowers of late summer,I also like to hang them to dry,love the dried smell..

L. D. said...

P. Allen Smith talks about joe pye weed all the time, but I couldn't get it to grow here. I think we just have too long of period of dry heat and no rain. I should try it again. Nice photos. I don't think I ever said how I admired your garden shed. I do remember telling you that I need to clean mine out. Still not done. Have a good week.

donna baker said...

In my area, we too have a small yellow flower that carpets the fields toward the end of summer. It means that fall isn't far behind. I think I'm sad about that. Summer went too fast. I'll miss the warmth, the flowers and birds and the peepers and trill of bugs and...

The Retired One said...

I have never heard of Joe Pieweed!
Interesting!