I just bought a couple of the Chocolate Snakeroot and to my horror, I am reading how aggressively they reseed. I have also read where some gardeners do not have problems with them reseeding. What is the deal? I have not planted them but should I pitch them in the garbage? I have a very well-behaved garden and I don't want to wreck it!
Eupatorium rugosum chocolate
Just deadhead when blooms start to fade and that should take care of the reseeding problem.
Also take a look at where the posts are coming from about it being a problem--you're in a pretty cold climate so with some plants they may behave badly in warmer climates but be a lot easier to control in your area. I don't know if that's the case with this one or not, but it's definitely true for some plants. Deadheading never hurts though just to be safe!
I have chocolate Joe Pye Weed. It does tend to seed itself but it helps if you deadhead it. And the seedlings are easy to pull up. To me, it's been worth it. And if you want to add plants elsewhere in your garden, or give them away, you will have a free source!
I love Joe Pye Weed, I have three of the regular. Thanks for the input. Maybe Minnesota is a good zone for them - as Ecrane3 noted. I think deadheading will help.
Thanks for the info and opinions. Goldenberry - do you deadhead your chocolate Joe Pye Weed?
Eupatorium is one of my most aggressive weeds.
I've read many times about how lovely e. chocolate can be.
I've been afraid to order 'chocolate', since I spend half my gardening life pulling wild eupatorium weeds.
The weedy version has a white flower.
Is it a different beast entirely? Can I safely order it, or will it simply add to my weeding burden?
GKayfes, after I noticed little eupatoriums around the garden, I did start to deadhead it. Now I make sure I do that every fall during cleanup time.
Weerobin, my understanding is that regular eupatorium has green leaves and pink flowers, while the dark-leaved or 'chocolate' one has white flowers. Mine has white flowers and dark leaves. I started with one plant and now have three that get big and bushy. They do tend to self-seed. I like them because they flower relatively late in the season and don't seem to get any major diseases. The bunnies don't eat them either (this is a big plus for me!).
Right now it's my agastache 'Blue Fortune' that is driving me nuts with all the little seedlings coming up everywhere. The eupatorium isn't hard to control, in comparison!
E. rugosum is one of my favorite perennials for the part-to-mostly shade areas (of which I have many). It's been carefree and reliable in several sites around the property. I've not had it self-seed at all when in shade; I almost wish it would, as I've had many gardening friends request offspring! I love the dark foliage when surrounded by green shade plants, and the late-summer flowers are lovely at a time when not much else is happening in those areas.
Hmm.. now I presume I'm blaming the wrong plant for being my nasty weed.
Maybe I'll give Chocolate a try. Lord knows, I've got shade.
Hope you'll like it as well as I have, Weerobin. And I hate to lol at the "Lord knows, I've got shade"; sounds just like this place!
Thanks for all the input. I alas gave the three Chocolates away. I gave them to a coworker with many many warnings. She is going to plant them at the back of her property. She doesn't seem to mind about the possibility of them reseeding back there by her pond. I sent her many links to the warnings of fellow-gardeners. She is going to watch them and see what happens. A field test of sorts, I guess. I am erring on the side of caution maybe.