Native Plant Database

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Arrangement: Whorled
Size Notes: Normally 5 to 7 feet high, but can reach 12 feet.
Leaf: Dark Green
Flower: Head 6 to 14 inches across
Fruit:
Size Class: 3-6 ft. , 6-12 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WV
Native Distribution: S. ME to IL, s. to FL & e. TX
Native Habitat: Alluvial woods; meadows; bogs & marshes; stream banks
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium , High
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Moist to wet soils.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: With its great height, can be a dramatic accent in the back of a garden.
Use Wildlife: An important source of honey, attracting pollinators by the score. Seeds eaten by Swamp Sparrow.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Nectar Source: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Honey Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Division , Seeds , Softwood Cuttings
Description: Sow seeds in the fall and plant thickly as germination is usually low. Propagation is also possible by softwood cuttings taken in late spring or by division. Divide the plants in fall as they go dormant, or in the spring just as shoots first appear.
Seed Collection: The nutlets mature to shiny black 4-5 weeks after the flower has faded. Only a small percentage viable; these will be plump and swollen. To collect, either take the entire top of the plant or shake it into a paper bag. Seeds can be allowed to dry out before sowing and do not have to be perfectly cleaned. Store in a sealed refrigerated container.
Seed Treatment: This species requires or benefits from a three month period of cold-moist stratification.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: If clump widens too much, divide it in fall or early spring.

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery - Orefield, PA
American Native Nursery - Quakertown, PA
Toadshade Wildflower Farm - Frenchtown, NJ
Prairie Nursery - Westfield, WI

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS

Bibliography

Bibref 996 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski, Sally and Andy Wasowski
* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

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From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1996 VOL. 13, NO.3 - Hummingbird Gardening, Blooms Beget Butterflies, Butterflies and Hummingbirds Fo...

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Eupatoriadelphus fistulosus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Eupatoriadelphus fistulosus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Eupatoriadelphus fistulosus