Several purple flowering plants can be seen along most country roads that haven’t recently been mowed.
Most notable among these pretty flowering weeds are the tall Joe Pye Weed and Purple Loosestrife.
Joe Pye Weed can reach more than 6 feet tall while Purple Loosestrife tops out at 4-5 feet tall.
The flowers of Purple Loosestrife are held in spikes with a vertical look to them, while the purple flowers of Joe Pye Weed are more like rounded clusters. The purple color is similar between the two plants.
Other purple flowering weeds are yet to make their presence known, including New York Iron Weed and New England Aster. Look for them to start flowering at the end of the month and well into September.