Of Missouri's Joe Pye Weeds, this one can be the tallest, though its size varies quite a lot depending on growing conditions. It typically grows 4 to 8 feet tall, but can reach 10 feet or a little more. It has reached that height at Missouri Wildflowers Nursery in a rain garden next to one of the greenhouses; the runoff from watering the plants in the greenhouse keeps the rain garden very saturated.
Hollow Joe Pye Weed is a great plant for bees and other pollinators seeking nectar and pollen. The caterpillars of several moths feed on the foliage. While some sources say deer avoid this plant unless there is nothing else to eat, others say it is consistently eaten in late spring. Luckily, the plants will regrow and still bloom if they are browsed lightly. This implies a gardener could limit the height of the plants if they trim it sometime in late May or June.
Uses: Pollinators, medicinal, rain gardens, moderately deer tolerant
Bloom time: July - September
Height: 4 to 8 feet or more
Space: 2 to 3 feet
Sun: Full sun to medium shade
Moisture: Average to moist
Seed: Sow outdoors November through January or cold-moist stratify at least 30 days.
- ~200 seeds per packet
- 85,000 seeds per ounce
- 1 ounce per 2,800 square feet
