Joe Pye Weed
 

Eupatorium purpureum

Named after a New England medicine man who used it induce sweating in typhus fever.  Another common name is “Gravelroot,” because a common folk use is as a diuretic, and for clearing urinary stones. 

Family:  Composite/Asteraceae
Life cycle:  Herbaceous perennial (Zones 3-9)
Native:  Found in thickets throughout the eastern ½ of North America.
Height: 3-12 feet.
Sun:  Full sun to partial shade.
Soil:  Prefers moist soil.
Water:   Natural habitat is on wet sites, and plant prefers regular, deep watering. However, Joe Pye also appears to withstand Kansas heat and drought fairly well.
Flowers:  Pale pink-purple flowers, in a some-what rounded cluster, July-Sept.
Propagation:  Propagated from seeds or cuttings.  Germination time is typically 2-3 weeks, with up to 80-90% germination. Older plants can be divided and replanted in the spring.  Recommend planting on at least 24 inch centers, as the plant will form large clumps.
Pests:   No major pests mentioned in the literature or observed in the field.
Harvesting:   The root is the primary  part of the plant sold today, though historically the whole plant was used.  Harvest root in the fall with spade or mechanically.  The somewhat fibrous root system will be most dense right under the plant, and so it isn’t too hard to get most of it with one shovel-full.  Harvest above ground portion when flowers are starting in early or mid-summer.  Dry quickly, as it is a succulent plant, and it may start to decompose. 
Parts used:  Roots, primarily.
Used as:  tea, tincture, decoction.
Medicinal Benefits:  Not currently listed in the PDR, but folk uses include as diuretic, for urinary tract and kidney stones, prostate problems, menstrual pain, and to ease childbirth.
Market Potential:  Low to medium. Probably most of the herb on the market is wild crafted.  This crop appears to have a large biomass production potential, so it wouldn’t take much to saturate the market, unless the market grows significantly.  Current retail prices range from $9.50 - $28.00 per lb dw for the root.

KSU Field Trial Data - 2000-2002.  

Summary of field trial data:  Though Joe Pye Weed was only tested on one site (Wichita) as a second and third year crop, it shows promise as a crop for Kansas.  We have data from two sites as a first year crop, and it seems to do well on both sandy and silt loam soils.  It appears to do best when water is plentiful (i.e. rain or irrigation), but can take some drought.  The plant can get very tall, and form large clumps, so don’t plant adjacent to smaller plants or crops that would be crowded out.  The flowers are very nice, and this would do well as a background plant, or up against a fence in a backyard flower garden.