So I object, strenuously object, to the word weed being attached to the common name of Eupatorium purpureum, Joe Pye weed.
What more could you ask of a riverside staple that's got a not-too-sweet fragrance, attracts bees and butterflies like you wouldn't believe, has a wonderful color sense (deep red/purple stems, bright green leaves, soft pink flowers) and can stand up to the high winds that can rip down the river canyon.
I have long wanted to coax this beauty into spending time in my garden. It likes moist soil though I understand it will tolerate dryer conditions. So I've got my eye on a clump near our swimming rocks that I may try to dig up when the flowers go by. And I'll watch for the tiny, tiny seeds that appear at the base of the flower stalk a little later this summer.
Very cool plant, another one we imported from Europe that escaped from the garden a long time ago.
See a bee I think - expected a butterfly on a close-up check. :)
ReplyDeleteAgree not a weed to those that love butterflies.