SCIENTIFIC NAME: Eutrochium dubium 'Baby Joe' (formerly Eupatorium)

COMMON NAME: Baby Joe Pye weed

GARDEN SIZE: 2 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide

GROWTH RATE: Moderate

USDA ZONE: 3 to 9

EXPOSURE: Full sun to part shade

WATER & SOIL: Medium to wet; tolerates clay soil and wet conditions. Drought tolerant once established.

HABIT (FORM): Upright, clump-forming, compact

FOLIAGE: Deciduous; green leaves

FLOWERS: Showy, fragrant, purple blooms from July to September on strong, upright stems

PLANT ORIGIN: Nativar of a species found in the eastern United States and Canada, primarily along the Atlantic coastal plain from Nova Scotia to South Carolina. East of Tennessee.

WILDLIFE SUPPORT: Excellent nectar source for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Provides seasonal cover for small wildlife and may support seed-eating birds. Host plant for local butterflies and moths.

FERTILIZING: Minimal; grows well in average soils. May give a root stimulant or 4-3-3 fertilizer during initial planting, then feed lightly in late winter or early spring with compost or an organic fertilizer if desired.

PRUNING: Cut back to just above soil level in early spring to encourage dense regrowth. Leaving stems, leaves, and spent blooms over the winter benefits native pollinators and wildlife.

TOXICITY FLAGS: None known

USES: Rain gardens, pollinator gardens, perennial borders, compact spaces