Joe Pye weed is a robust upright perennial, 3-10' tall, with a purple stem that is unbranched below the flower clusters and mostly hollow. The leaves have a vanilla scent when crushed. The flowerheads are pink or purplish mauve and densely packed in several large rounded clusters at the top of the stem.
Some authorities recognize additional, very similar species.
Location Joe Pye weed grows in moist fields and pastures, along road shoulders, at the edges of woods, and in disturbed areas in the eastern U.S. from central Florida to east Texas and north to Iowa, Quebec and Newfoundland. They are often abundant along streams and ditches. Although rarely found in gardens in the U.S., Joe Pye weed is a very popular ornamental plant in England. Culture Joe Pye weed normally gets pretty tall before it flowers in summer, but you can prune it back in late spring and it will bloom at a much lower height. Joe Pye weed grows best in full sun.