Joe-Pye is a gorgeous perennial plant, even if you didn't love it for it's ability to feed butterflies. Plants grow to 4-5' tall, and form tidy clumps that become covered in pink flowers over many weeks. The plants become so large, they are like a small shrub. As Milkweed is used to feed monarch caterpillars (the caterpillars eat Milkweed leaves, as it is the only plants they can eat), the nectar of Joe Pye can feed ALL butterflies, including the monarch butterfly, swallowtails, and many more! Plant in sun or part sun. Plants are very hardy, as cold as zone 3.

Type: Hardy perennial

Height: 4'-5', depending on location

Location: Sun or part

Hardiness zones: 3-9

Note: Although the Joe-Pye nectar is an excellent food-source for butterflies, the plants are seeds are poisonous to people and animals. Keep in a safe place.

Seeds per pack: 30

Germination: Start these seeds right away to preserve viability, no matter the time of year. These seeds require a period of cold. Sow the seeds just under the surface of a sterile seed-start mix, and water in. Leave them at room temperature for 2 weeks. They will not grow yet. Then cover them with plastic and place in a fridge for 5-6 weeks. Be sure they stay moist. After the cold stratification period they are then brought back to room temperature for them to germinate. If possible, the best location for sowing in March, April and May, is in cold frame or a cold greenhouse where they will receive the cold period and fluctuating temperatures naturally.