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Definition of joe pye weed
joe pye weed
Plural:joe pye weeds
joe pye weed Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
North American Any of several tall, native North American wildflowers of the genus Eutrochium, typically found in moist soils and characterized by whorled leaves and large, dome-shaped clusters of purplish-pink flowers that bloom in late summer.
Example
"The butterfly garden was intentionally planted with native species, prominently featuring towering stalks of Joe Pye weed to attract pollinators."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for joe pye weedWord Origin & Etymology
Named after Joe Pye (Jopi), an 18th- or 19th-century Native American herbalist in New England who reportedly used the plant in traditional medicine to treat fevers such as typhus.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Joe pye weed. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/joe pye weed