As I gazed at the bare ground in early May, I started to get concerned that my Joe Pye Weed plants hadn’t survived winter. Finally in late May some little nubs peeked out of the ground. I forgot that Joe Pye Weed is slow to emerge in the spring. But don’t think for a second that a slow start means slow-growth.
In just 4 weeks my plants have shot up faster than any other perennials or annuals in my yard. I grow several varieties. The tallest—‘Gateway’—is supposed to grow 4 to 6 feet. It’s already near the 6-foot mark. Some years it’s reached as tall as 10 or 12 feet. I think this may be one of those years.
Something has been chewing on the leaves, but it hasn’t slowed down the plant one bit.
In late summer all my Joe Pye Weed plants will explode with ageratum-like purple flowers that are irresistible to bees and butterflies.