March 2025 - Dyck Arboretum

Stuck inside during the cold days of January and February, I spent some time working on the 2025 Native Plant Guide. It takes many hours to revise the list every year – double check the native ranges, add new species and take off those that are no longer available, and constantly correct my sloppy spelling! I noticed that this year we will have a huge variety of Eupatorium species available at FloraKansas. These beauties are not the most popular plant in the prairie garden, but they should be! So here is an introduction to Joe Pye weed in all its forms.

Eupatorium coelstinum

*Mistflower (**Conoclinium coelestinum**) blooming in Bird Park, Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania*

Mist flower is a lovely and rather petite member of this group of plants. It generally stays less than three feet tall, and blooms late summer through fall. It resembles the annual ageratum that I am used to seeing at traditional greenhouses. But this one is better! Why? Much more drought hardy, it is a perennial, and it is native here in Kansas, particularly in the far south east counties. In my experience, it does best in partial sun though many online sources say otherwise. I think hot afternoon sun on west or south exposures can wilt it, leading to less vigor.

Eupatorium perfoliatum ‘Blind Date’

*‘Blind Date’ has flat topped flowers and chocolate colored new growth. Photo from Intrinsic Perennials*

E. perfoliatum, common boneset, it native to pretty much every state east of the Rockies, and also Canada. Versatile and adaptable, it finds a home in roadside ditches, woodland margins, and along streams and wetlands. Moist soil is best for this beauty, and be prepared for rapid spread if conditions are right. The variety ‘Blind Date’ has slightly darker new growth than the straight species, giving it an ombre effect and heightening its ornamental appeal.

Eupatorium altissimum

Tall Boneset is beloved by pollinators, but not so much by gardeners. It grows up to 6 feet tall in some cases, and spreads readily by seed and by rhizomes. Hundreds of white flowers appear in late summer, much to the delight of butterflies, beetles, wasps, bees, and many other crawling and flying things! Sometimes labeled as a ‘problem plant’ or undesirable, it’s actually quite lovely. If you have lots of space and don’t mind a bit of chaos, it is a worthwhile addition to wildlife gardens or pocket prairies. Not sure of your soil moisture level? No problem, this plant grows in wet or dry conditions, and can handle full sun or partial.

Eupatorium maculatum

Spotted Joe Pye Weed gets its name from the marks on its stem that distinguish it from other similar species. Tall plants are topped with umbels of pink flowers, and it needs full sun and consistent moisture to stay looking its best. Planted around ponds, near streams, or in reliably wet rain gardens, this plant will get up to six feet tall.

Name Game

Taxonomists, those scientists that work to classify living beings into the proper groups, have been hard at work changing some names around. Eupatorium spp. with whorled leaves were changed to the genus Eutrochium, while those that have opposite or alternate leaves stayed the same. Mist flower is now referred to as Conclinum coelstinum, once genetic analysis revealed it was more closely related to Ageratums than true Eupatoriums. The genus name Eupatorium actually comes from ancient times, in what is now Turkey. It has a fascinating history involving King Mithridates VI of Pontus, known as Eupator Dionysius, and his fear of poisoning.

Eutrochium dubium ‘Little Joe’

A lover of wet soil and sunny situations, ‘Little Joe’ is the best loved of all the plants in this group. It has been widely available for garden use for many years. The cultivar is shorter and more manageable than the straight species, but is unchanged in flower shape and color. E. dubium is not native to Kansas, found mostly in the southeastern US and Atlantic coast region. But it grows well here in garden settings with supplemental watering.

Eutrochium fistulosum

*Hollow Joe Pye weed via Wikimedia Commons*

The largest of all the Joe Pye, this plant is also known as trumpetweed and Hollow Joe Pye. This is due to its mostly hollow stems. If you are looking for a statement plant, or something to obscure a fence or add some privacy, this might be the Joe Pye for you! Partial sun and medium soil moisture will suit just fine, though once established it is pretty tough and can handle a wide range of soil conditions.

What do all these Eupatoriums have in common? All are excellent for pollinators, all of them can be used ornamentally or for cutting gardens, and all of them are available at the spring FloraKansas event!

Over the past few years, I have taken up the hobby of fly fishing. It has been challenging to say the least. Learning the basics of casting, choosing the right fly or flies, reading the water and so much more has taken me to new heights of frustration and sometimes elation. Like many hobbies, learning to fly fish will take the rest of my life to just scratch the surface of all there is to know.

My journey to fly fish began with evening classes through WSU Community Education. I started with the basics and continued on to the casting class. During those classes, I devoured as much information as I could, but still felt like I was floundering. I watched videos, and read blog posts. I practiced casting a little bit before I went to Colorado and hired a guide who help me catch my first trout. It was small but I had accomplished my first goal of just catching one fish. That first fish was incredible. So colorful but resilient living in that cool flowing stream. It was quite the memorable experience.

*My very first trout. Small but incredibly beautiful.*

From those humble beginnings, I worked even harder to learn all I could about the art of fly fishing. I practiced casting several times a week when the weather was suitable. I watched more videos and read articles about streams and trout.

The next summer, I hired a different guide who was an incredible teacher. He was patient and kind to this novice. I learned more from him that day than from any videos I had watched or blogs I had read. It was like drinking from a fire hose. We caught fish…a LOT of fish. But he also made me stop for a moment and look around. While we were eating our lunch, he told me about the geology of the place, where the river starts, how it flows, the beauty of the surrounding mountains, the trees and plants, the clouds and sun, and the trout. He encouraged me to not just fish, but to observe, learn, listen and enjoy the beauty all around me.

*A little better sized fish, but look at where I am standing.*

*I was fly fishing down there. A stunningly beautiful place.*

You see, I was so intent on learning to fly fish that I had not stopped to look around. I was determined to catch as many fish as possible, but I almost missed the beauty in every direction. By making me stop for a few moments, I was able to really appreciate the majesty of my surroundings. It is so easy to forget to look up that we often miss some of the most rewarding experiences of our lifetime.

You may wonder what the point of this story is. Well, it started with a short phrase I read in an article that reminded me of what my guide taught me. It simply said, “…take a break and let’s rest the water.” These words made me pause and contemplate. Learning to rest the water is a way to fish, but also a way to live your life. Too often, our gaze is so hyper focused on something that we don’t take time to look up and around, to listen, and then to savor and enjoy the moments that too quickly pass.

I say this as we approach another spring. As our landscapes are transformed from dormant to green in the coming months, take time to step back and enjoy your handywork. Don’t over work it. Watch the pollinators, and birds. Observe the beauty of a delicate flower. Appreciate the resiliency of a native grass. This is one of my goals in 2025, whether with relationships, landscapes or hobbies – to take time to rest the water. Step back and take it all in, be present, and be attentive to the beauty all around us.

I leave you with a few images of the Flint Hills in the spring.