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Eutrochium purpureum - (image 1 of 5)

Taxonomy

Family: Asteraceae

Synonymous with Eupatorium purpureum.

Habitat

Woodlands, in drier habitats than other Eutrochium spp.

Associates

In woodlands with Acer saccharum, Asarum canadense, Carya cordiformis, Fraxinus americana, Impatiens capensis, Laportea canadensis, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Phlox divaricata, Prunus serotina, Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, Rhus radicans, Sanguinaria canadensis, Tilia americana, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, Viola pubescens.

Distribution

Southern NH to VA and in mountains to GA, west to WI, IA, OK, and western FL.

Morphology

Herbaceous perennial to 6' high. Principle stem leaves whorled, rarely more than 4 per whorl, broadly elliptic to ovate, sharply serrate. Stems glaucous, to 2m high, pithy throughout or with slender center cavity, less than 6mm in diameter 1cm below the principle bracteal whorl. Flowers pale pink-purple. Heads fewer than 8-flowered. Inflorescences hemispherical or convex.

Notes

Flowers early July to early September

Wetland indicator: UPL

Prospers in woods that have been burned. Also called sweet joe-pye-weed because it emits a sweet odor when crushed. Fairly easy to distinguish from E. maculatum since the stems are not spotted with purple except at the nodes and the individual flower heads contain fewer flowers so they are noticeably smaller. Eutrochium fistulosum is similar but has stems purple throughout and with a large central cavity.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.

The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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