by Ginny Renjilian
Eutrochium
AKA Joe Pye Plant
Late summer is colored in yellow and purple (a bit of a color palette challenge for me as I plan a September wedding!), with goldenrod, ironweed, and this week’s featured bloom, Joe Pye, leading the charge. You may notice I said Joe Pye, rather than the more well-known common name of “Joe Pye Weed.” Well, if you attended the Brown Bag talk a few weeks back, you may have heard that this plant, scientific name Eutrochium purpureum, commonly known as Joe Pye Weed should actually not be called a “weed”—it is a native plant with a lot of benefits to pollinators and to people! It doesn’t spread aggressively, and it’s believed that the name Joe Pye is to honor an indigenous healer. Much less of an honor if it’s considered a weed!
Some more about the name: the common legend is that Joe Pye was an indigenous herbal healer who helped colonists treat typhus—this story is very widespread but with varying details and believability. More recent research by the Royal Botanical Gardens in Canada says that he was likely actually named Joseph Shauquethqueat and was an early 19th-century Mohican sachem (chief). While not an herbalist or healer, Shauquethqueat (called Joseph Pye by his white neighbors and in some written records) was both a sachem and a selectman in Stockbridge and was a well known and respected member of the community in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
That’s the story behind the common name, but what about the scientific name? As a refresher, the scientific name is made up of the genus and species, which is relevant here as the genus actually changed in the year 2000 for this plant. Before 2000, Joe Pyes were part of the genus Eupatorium, named for an ancient Asian ruler, Mithridates Eupator, who supposedly used plants in this family as an antidote to the poisons he suspected were getting slipped into his food. This genus contains bonesets like snakeroot, which all have opposite leaves that look like they go straight through the stem. This unique leaf pattern (NOT seen in Joe Pye) led some scientists to suggest it was a separate species, which gene sequencing confirmed in 2000. Now, it’s part of the genus Eutrochium, which has a much less royal-intrigue-laden story. It’s derived from two Greek words; eu meaning "well" and troche meaning "wheel-like” as the plant has whorled leaves. The species name's meaning is pretty easily guessed: purpureum, for the iconic purple flowers.
There are lots of Joe Pye species, but we’ve chosen to focus this week on just one, which can be identified from the pack in a few ways. E. purpureum is called Purple Joe Pye or the Sweet Joe Pye and has a deep purple stem, which is not hollow (many Joe Pyes have hollow stems). There are also purple-black markings at the leaf joints. The stem and flower color explain the name purple Joe Pye, and if you crush some leaves you’ll quickly learn why it’s called sweet Joe Pye—the leaves have a sweet and pleasant vanilla-like scent.
Joe Pye is very popular with pollinators because of its plentiful pollen, but especially the Zebra Swallowtail, Variegated Fritillary, Tiger Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, skippers, bees, and hummingbirds. It is even the host plant for more than three dozen species of moth and butterfly caterpillars. Once it goes to seed, it feeds the birds through the fall and winter. In addition to feeding wildlife, this useful plant has been used medicinally for centuries to treat just about everything. While every part of the plant is used, the root is believed to have the strongest healing properties.
Joe Pye is hardy, growing in a variety of soils and in conditions other plants may turn their noses up at, like along the sides of highways. This toughness means that Joe Pye can be very useful in ecological restoration efforts, since it can stabilize soil and attract pollinators. Its adaptability means that it’s used in both wetland restoration projects and meadow restorations. While it’s native and ubiquitous in the US, it’s also a very popular garden plant in much of Europe, where it gets a little more respect and is considered a treasured garden species rather than a weed. But this humble weed has a lot of history and a lot of ecological benefits behind it, and deserves a closer look (and smell!) if you should come across it around grounds this week! At 4-7ft tall, it should be easy to spot. Happy hunting!
p.s. Yes, that's a Monarch Butterfly on the Joe Pye in Jeanne Wiebenga's gorgeous photo. Learn lots more about Monarch's at Betsy's Friday Garden Walk.
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