JOE-PYE WEED 



Eupatorium purputeum L. 



July - September Tall and regal stand the Joe-pye. weeds in the August 

 Woods woods. The bellflower is in bloom; so is skullcap. It 



is hot and sticky and quiet in the woods, quiet except 

 for the incessant buzzing of insects. Birds sing little now except for the 

 endless songs of the vireos and the clattering of woodpeckers in the old 

 trees. Butteirfiies and bees in the woods come now to the great plumes of 

 the Joe-pye weeds whose scent is part of the midsummr atmosphere. 



Joe-pye weed is one of the Composites, one of the Eupatoriums which 

 claim the white snakoroot, the boneset, the thorouglnvort, and the blue 

 mist flower as members of the family. Of them all. a sturdy tribe, Joe-pye 

 weed is the largest and most imposing in growth and blossoming. Al- 

 though it is so tall, it somehow escapes weediness by having uniform and 

 geometrically placed whorls of leaves in groups of four or five around 

 the slightly downy stems. The stem is erect and does not branch. The 

 summit of the stalk has a large and much branched head of small fuzzy 

 flowers with long stamens and pistils thrust big 

 The flower heads arc fi'agi'aut and are a source 

 to foraging bees. 



In the northern swamps and bo<^ 

 brightly colored Joe-pye weed blooms in August. Tbe stems and flowers 

 are lavender-nmgonta, often very bright with that purple-rose color which 

 is so common among many species of flowers in the north. 



)ove the short rays. 

 late sunnucf nectar 



a shortcM- and stouter, more 



991 



>^ (V X 



