Golden Acre Home & Garden Centre's Plant Library

Other Names:  Gravel Root, Kidney Root, Boneset

Group/Class:  Euphoria™ Series

Brand:  Darwin Perennials

Description:

This compact selection flowers earlier in the summer than typical Joe Pye Weed varieties, and continues blooming until fall; plumes of ruby red to pink flowers, over attractive leaves and strong stems; tasty seeds for birds and nectar for butterflies

Ornamental Features

Euphoria™ Ruby Joe Pye Weed has masses of beautiful plumes of fragrant pink flowers at the ends of the stems from early summer to early fall, which emerge from distinctive ruby-red flower buds, and which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its serrated narrow leaves remain forest green in colour throughout the season. The burgundy stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Euphoria™ Ruby Joe Pye Weed is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its wonderfully bold, coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced garden composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Euphoria™ Ruby Joe Pye Weed is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Euphoria™ Ruby Joe Pye Weed will grow to be about 26 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 28 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to dry locations, and dislikes excessive moisture. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.