Eutrochium maculatum 'Gateway' syn. Eupatorium maculatum 'Gateway'

So many buds this year! #anticipation #weedsarefriends

#hostplant to over 3 dozen insects!

Finally in full bloom! #beemagnet #midwesternnative #swamptastic

Growing nicely #swamptastic #beemagnet #midwesternnative

#fadedbeauty

#beemagnet #wildlifewednesday

The insects were pretty subdued after that terrific storm, but a few bumbles were out working yesterday #exoskeletal #wildlifewednesday

I never see these #exoskeletal greenies on anything but the Joe Pye Weed... #wildlifewednesday

I see these #sweatbee on a kinds of things, they definitely are fun to watch!

Now this one is genuinely #intimidating -- I've never before seen one of these loom 2 heads taller than I am, but here we are! #swamptastic #midwesternnative #beemagnet

#texture #midwesternnative #beemagnet

Looking healthy #midwesternnative #swamptastic #beemagnet

#wildlifewednesday #exoskeletal

Sometimes there are so many #exoskeletal visitors that the flowerheads are almost on the ground #beemagnet #midwesternnative #swamptastic

Hey Joe

This plant introduced me to the difference between foreign and #midwesternnative plants when it comes to attracting insects. Bumblebees, carpenter bees, hornets, Swallowtail butterflies, skippers and even the coveted green metallic bee visit these flowers while ignoring the Asian and European introductions. #wildlifewednesday

Full bloom! #midwesternnative

#midwesternnative #beemagnet #exoskeletal #wildlifewednesday

Growing happily in the squelchy black soil of the Rhombus of Hope. This was as tall as my thumb when I planted it a month ago and now it's waist-high. #eileensplantmap #midwesternnative #beemagnet #swamptastic

#anticipation #midwesternnative

#anticipation

Coming along nicely #anticipation #midwesternnative

This is kind of a lavenderish color, tinged pink. I planted a broken-off piece in the swamp and look forward to seeing whether that alters the flowers' color. Not only to butterflies like it, but pollinators I don't normally see otherwise, like green metallic bees and those flies with the lightbulb butts.

A piece broke off this plant as I was moving it. Said "that tears it, not waiting any longer" and repatriated it on the edge of the swamp. My very first attempt to replant the area with #midwesternnative plants!