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These late-flowering Eupatoriums or Thoroughworts add a lasting glowing-white accent to the fading colors of the Late-Autumn landscape. Most Eupatoriums are single-stemmed with branches only at the top, holding many small flowers in a flat-topped inflorescence. The whole inflorescence appears white, although there are no ray flowers in the flower heads, because of white disc flowers and protruding pappus of white capillary bristles. Unlike most American-asters (Symphyotrichum, the refuge for most of the species in the now-defunct Aster) that flower in Autumn, these Eupatoriums hold their seed with their pappus for a long time and appear to still be in flower for about an additional month.
The one on the left has the typical unbranched architecture and wide inflorescence, though its inflorescence is tipped towards the camera and its structure is not obvious. It is Eupatorium mohrii (Mohr's Eupatorium). The one on the right has an unusual basal-branched architecture that characterize it and only a few other species of Eupatorium. It is Eupatorium linearifolium (Narrow-leaf Bushy Eupatorium). This species is similar to Eupatorium hyssopifolium (Hyssop-leaf Eupatorium), but has its narrow leaves in opposite phylotaxy rather than in a Hyssop-like whorls-of-four phylotaxy. USDA Plants incorrectly includes Eupatorium linearifolium as a Synonym for another basal-branched Eupatorium with common names such as Wedge-leaf Eupatorium and Broad-leaf Bushy Eupatorium. Sigh... Did anyone there notice that Narrow-leaf and Broad-leaf just might mean different taxa? Consequently, our species on the right has been extripated by USDA.
But both continue doing their planty things without regard for taxonomy. Many insects visit the flowers for one last fill up before winter and both produce lots of fertile seed, which is another reason we recommend them.
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Images by Glenn Galau ©SparkleberrySprings.com
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