Eupatorium dubium
A coastal plain native perennial with mauve-pink flower clusters, about 2–5 feet tall, thriving in moist soils, and attracting bees and butterflies, with whorled green leaves.
Common Names
Coastal Plain Joe-Pye Weed, Eastern Joe-Pye Weed, Joe Pye Thoroughwort, Three-Nerved Joe-Pye-Weed
Summary
Coastal Plain Joe-Pye Weed is an upright, herbaceous perennial native to the eastern United States, typically 3 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide, with solid purple-spotted stems and whorled, thick leaves that are three-nerved and serrated, flower clusters are dome-shaped, mauve to dark purple disk florets (4 to 9 per head) arranged in discoid to corymbiform heads, lacking ray florets, bloom occurs from mid to late summer into early fall, followed by buff seed heads that persist into winter, distinctive triplinerved venation and rugose leaf surfaces aid identification in moist, sandy, acidic soils of wetlands, coastal plains, and river margins; cultivation favors full sun to partial shade and moist to wet soils, tolerating clay and other moisture-retentive substrates, it is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 and tends to self-seed in the landscape, propagation is possible by seed or division, and winter cutting back helps vigor, the plant is generally pest- and disease-free, deer resistant, and serves well in pollinator-friendly landscapes, including borders, meadows, rain gardens, native plant or cottage gardens, erosion control, and cut-flower plantings, nectar and pollen attract bees, butterflies, skippers, and other insects.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
24-60 inches
Spread
24-48 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun to partial shade.
Soil Type
Moist, acidic soil, preferably sandy or gravelly.
Soil Drainage
Moist to wet soils; tolerates wet conditions
Soil pH
Acid, alkaline, and neutral soils — it tolerates a wide range of soil pH
Bloom Color
Dark purple to pink
Bloom Time
Summer and Fall
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Summer and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Willd. ex Poiret
- Publication
- Encycl. Suppl. 2: 606. 1812.
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Subfamily
- Asteroideae
- Tribe
- Eupatorieae
- Subtribe
- Eupatoriinae
- Genus
- Eupatorium
Synonyms
Eupatorium americanum Eupatoriadelphus dubius Eupatorium dubium f. dubium Eupatorium verticillatum Eupatorium amoenum Eupatorium punctatum Eupatorium ternifolium var. ternifolium Eupatorium dubium