Help to Identify This Plant

Yvonne B
by Yvonne B
It has six leaves that grown out around the straight tall stem. All at same spot on the stem. then a foot or so up there is another cluster of six leaves surrounding the stem. Then at top it has some blooms that are not open yet at time of this photo but are a pinkish-purple color as buds, not sure what the color of the flowers will be when open. It is growing up at my parents place in Jasper, GA above 3000 feet above sea level. This picture is looking down onto the plant from the deck of cabin, maybe 20 feet or more high. It is a VERY tall plant, taller than the white striped plants behind it.
The tall green plant in front of the striped plant. We are very curious of the the name of this plant, the leaves are so cool how they surround the stem all at the same point.
Zoomed in on the plant to see the leaf structure. Please help to identify plant for us.
  10 answers
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Aug 31, 2013
    Looks like your parents have Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium spp). I've never seen it get 20 feet high, but it certainly got to 10 in my New York garden.
  • Mary T Mary T on Aug 31, 2013
    Money tree??
  • Yvonne B Yvonne B on Aug 31, 2013
    well now that I think about it I was measuring the height from the bottom of the deck columns, there is a hill that these are growing from that is maybe 6 feet or could be 8 feet higher than the very bottom of the deck columns. I'm not good at judging distance as you can tell, especially from memory. But yes, it stays damp, his place is in the Fog clouds most of the morning till after noon most days and the deck is always covered in dew every morning when we go out at sunrise. My Profile picture is a picture from his back deck looking out. After going and looking that is what this plant is, thank you so much for your help. Now I can tell my daughter. From the pictures I looked through looks like humming birds like it so it will be a keeper. Do you know if it will come back from the root next year?
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Sep 01, 2013
    It will not only come back but self-sow in a happy spot, which it sounds like that would be. There are a large number of Joe Pyes, and they all share that they are great plants for pollinators, and wildlife in general.
  • Gretchen Gretchen on Sep 01, 2013
    Butterflies love Joe Pye Weed, so if it is in a spot that is ok with your parents, the butterflies will be very happy if it is just left there! I've seen huge groups of it planted at a botanical garden and it is stunning!
  • Mariposa Mariposa on Sep 01, 2013
    My Joe Pye Weed is always full of bees and Butterflies :)
  • Mariposa Mariposa on Sep 01, 2013
    Another view of Joe Pye Weed in Bloom :)
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Sep 01, 2013
    Beautiful, Mariposa.
  • Irish53 Irish53 on Sep 02, 2013
    Can you tell me what the striped plant is. I have it growing on the side of ny yard. It was there when we moved in but left it to grow because it looked like a house plant I have seen before. Thanks
    • See 1 previous
    • Yvonne B Yvonne B on Sep 02, 2013
      @Irish53 thanks for asking, that was going to be my next question. There are a lot of plants up at the cabin that I don't know what they are.. as I get pictures of them I will be asking for help. Thanks to everyone's responses.
  • Cyndi Neumann Cyndi Neumann on Sep 17, 2013
    I see Joe Pye all around where I live in Western North Carolina! It os all along the roadsides and I also have some in my garden! Smiles, Cyndi