This plant features one of the silliest of common names, “Joe Pye Weed.” It is a bold herbaceous perennial–really bold! Mine are about seven feet tall this year and maybe four feet wide. I started some from seed for the south side of the driveway over twenty years ago. Those original plants died out eventually, but not before they seeded around a little, and some volunteers came up on the north side of the driveway. I have at least two plants there now.
Pollinators love the unusual lavender flowers. New leaves have a purple tinge, too, and their arrangement is attractive around the tall stems.
These plants don’t ask for much so I’ll just keep enjoying the flowers that I have to look up to and the pollinators that they attract.