Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum var. album 'Summer Snow')
yew-pah-TOR-ee-um mak-yew-LAY-tum variety AL-bum 'Summer Snow'

Deciduous Perennial in the Asteraceae Family

Eupatorium maculatum, Spotted Joe Pye Weed, is an upright, clump-forming perennial native to wet meadows, marshes, and sedge prairies across Illinois, more commonly found in the northern half of the state including the Chicago region. It typically reaches 4 to 7 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide, with stout stems marked by distinctive purple spots or streaks — the feature behind its species name. From late July into September, flat-topped clusters of small pink to lavender-purple flowers top each stem, drawing a steady stream of bees, butterflies, and skippers. Give it full sun to partial shade and soil that stays reliably moist to wet; it is one of the most water-tolerant perennials available, happily growing in standing water for short periods, and struggles if the soil is allowed to dry out.

Pros

  • Distinctive purple-spotted stems make this species easy to identify in the wild or garden
  • Rapid grower that fills a wet, sunny spot in a single season
  • Long late-summer bloom draws bees, butterflies, and skippers, including the rare rusty patched bumble bee
  • Genuinely deer and rabbit resistant once established

Cons

  • Needs consistently moist to wet soil; leaves scorch and wilt if it dries out
  • Can self-sow or form small colonies over time in ideal wet-meadow conditions
  • Tall, upright habit may need a sheltered spot or companions for support in windy sites
 

Plant Data

Moisture Tolerance - Wet
Tags Attracts Butterflies, Deciduous, Perennial, Popular For Fall, Wet
Flower Color
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2024 : 07/02 - 09/08
2023 : 05/04 - 09/10

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!