No, I have not seen it in the wild BUT I received some seeds from a fellow winter sower this year. It is very impressive. I have several plants in full sun and plan to harvest seeds to share and to plant on the edge of my woodside. Can't believe it took my 70 years to try this beauty!

Dorothy (Meadows)

I've only seen it wild rarely when driving in the rural north here in Michigan. Fortunately, it has managed to reseed and volunteer in my garden. So, I have 3 or 4 patches of it in my yard and it spreads and multiplies every year. It is a magnet for any nectaring creature, and is so graceful and elegant looking. I'm going to keep starting new plants every chance I get. If anyone wants seeds, let me know and I'll collect more. I already have some from last year if anyone wants those. Or, I could probably dig up some divisions later in the fall.

Martha

It's in full bloom now, so I see it everywhere there is water. I was just in Michigan this weekend and the Joe Pye is all over the place there. The ones I winter sowed this year are even blooming.

Karen

I've probably seen it but didn't know what it was, tried to ws some think it was winter B4 the bad one but didn't germinate. I think one plant is very large, probably not a good choice for my small yard but would be pretty in the right setting.

Hi,

Ever since Joe Pye was "discovered" as a desirable
ornamental plant 15?? years ago, I have tried to move
or seed some from our stand in the wet land off our second
pond (overflow pond). Very little success, it just likes
the water. I went to the nursery the other day and it was
for sale for 14.95 for a gallon pot. I went out and gazed
at my 387 plants (more or less). Our technique for showing
them off is to cut down and clear what grows between them
and our path around the pond. Chris

I'm hoping my young plants will like where they are planted, they get full sun (about 10-4), but are planted near the dripline of the garage roof, no eaves, and the soil is kind of clayish (it's been amended, though) so hopefully they'll get plenty of moisture when it rains and from when the dew drips from the roof in the morning. The soil along there seems to hold the moisture for a while too. They've only been in there for a week, but so far so good. Better than the tiny 2 1/2" pots they were in. Their roots were crammed, and the pots dried out daily, but still they grew and are flowering. BTW, these are the Sweet Joe Pye I'm growing, Eupatorium purpureum. They're supposed to like more shade than the regular Joe Pye, but I hope they'll be fine where they are. Maybe they tolerate drier conditions than the regular Joe Pye, too? We'll see.

Karen

Hmmmm. Wonder why my Joe Pye has been done blooming for at least a month and it's just blooming now in zone 6. Maybe what I have is not Joe Pye? I WS'd it from seed from a trade or a swap so it must be Joe Pye. I'm puzzled now. Would love to see it growing along a hwy like you. Don't you just love knowing what roadside plants are!

Maybe yours is Filipendula rubra, Queen Of The Prairie, which would look somewhat similar but blooms earlier than Joe Pye, and likes moisture just as much, if not more, as Joe Pye.

Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: Queen Of The Prairie

The Joe Pye I saw was in a variety of conditions - from drought type roadsides to edge of wood, and some down in a valley near an informal water source. I wouldn't characterize it as a water plant per se. It seemed to grow robust in a variety of conditions.

I think this plant is tougher than we give it credit for.

That sounds beautiful, bakemom.

Joe Pye in my front cottage garden bed is in full bloom now. There is no standing water anywhere near that bed and it gets only the water needed to keep all plants in it growing and blooming. I love the red stems as well as the bloom.

2010 Front bed
{{gwi:426724}}

That's it mnwsgal. Now imagine that in huge drifts along the freeway area and down into the farmlands!

I too was thinking the truly thirsty plant would be Queen of the Prairie.

BTW Joe P. is very easy to sow. I have done it with great success and given away tons of babies. There should be plenty of seeds available this fall. I sow them chaff and all as they resemble dandylion seeds.

I tried to WS Joe Pye this year for the first time, and did not have luck with it. I will try it again. I really would like to get it started.
mo

I tried to wintersow Joe Pye winter before last - no results at all. I threw that potting soil into an old child's swimming pool that I use for micro greens, and guess what came rising out of the baby beets, lettuces, and mustards this spring!

And Chris: I've got vinca like you have Joe Pye. I see vinca plants for sale at the garden centers, and marvel at the price they're getting, and then go home and tear out another armload or two of both the variegated and the plain green varieties - the stuff is trying to take over. Anyone want a box full?

Crow

It looks like mine must be the real deal - looks like mnwsgal's only mine is really tall- about 6-7'. It must really like where it is. I've maybe watered it four times this summer.
If I can find my camera I'll post a pic.

Here in western PA I have only seen Joe Pye Weed in the wild. I love it and plan on WS some for next year.

I have it in both moister and drier sites, and it thrives regardless. It also can fend for itself against black walnut roots, so that's another plus for me.

It grows wild along the roadsides here. Almost seemed to hide out until *poof* the blooms open up and then it gets noticed! This will be my 3rd yr attempt at WS'ing it... I've not had a bit of luck so far. I'm thinking maybe the seeds I rec'd were old or something because not a single sprout at all! :( Maybe I'll even go so far as to *gasp* BUY some seed this year...lol The plants along the hwy are not near any place one can stop and snag some seeds unfortunately. It is a beautiful plant tho!