Date Posted:10:21:24 04/26/06 Wed Author:Beverly Subject: Joe Pye Weed and Butterflies
August brings the hazy, lazy days of summer - but some of Cecil County's residents are as busy as ever - perhaps even more so - when the Joe Pye weed is as tall as the corn. Like 'mad dogs and Englishmen', butterflies are often active in the noon-day sun, collecting nectar and nourishment from the summer field flowers. Tiger Swallowtail and Silver Spotted Skipper butterflies can be seen in great numbers, on hot summer afternoons, congregating on the tall growing Joe Pye. I took this picture just after seeing my nieces off, they having come down from Long Island on Wednesday afternoon, for an overnight visit. These butterflies, and others, were enjoying brunch on the Joe Pye that grows along my drivway, between the road and the horse paddock:
Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucas)on Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum)
Silver Spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) on Joe Pye Weed
The joe pye's 'weed' designation is a bit unfortunate, for this is quite an elegant summer flower. Often in bloom when most other flowering plants have surrendered to the heat, the joe pye has a history that includes herbal and medicinal uses. It's common name is said to be for a Native American 'medicine man', Joe Pye. Legend tells us that Joe Pye used this native plant to cure fevers.
Using any plant for medicinal purposes requires thorough investigation, as even plants listed as having herbal or medicinal value can also contain toxic elements. Great care, qualified identification, and thorough investigation should always be the first steps in using any plant for teas or poultices. Many substances found in plants can cause irreversible liver or kidney damage, so don't experiment without the advice of a physician.
For more reading on Joe Pye Weed and on Maryland's butterflies:
