Don't count on it being that small. But you can cut it back in early June to keep it on the smaller size, but more like 4 feet or so. These are great plants in the right location. They look like individual stalks coming up in the spring. Mine are emerging now...about 6-7 inches already.

Mine grows to at least six feet tall if I don't cut it back in June. I'm actually going to dig mine up this year. It served its purpose as a filler until my other foundation plants gained some size. My DH has always disliked it. It's too weedy for his liking. I

Wow! If that's the "Little" one, how big does the regular version get?

I planted this last year and it grow to be about feet tall in semi shade. It did not overwinter for us. I suspect it needed more sun to be really strong. I doubt I would buy it again. Loved the purplish flowers though.

Kate

Kate, your post didn't list the number of feet. Thansk for the input, everyone.

Maybe I will leave it where it is this year to see what it does first. Assuming it is not too hard to move when it is 2 years old. When I googled it I saw a picture in someoneÂs garden where they had harnessed it into being tall and thin with double plant rings. ThatÂs something that could work too in that place in my garden. ItÂs more the spread IÂm concerned about, as my garden is an island bed and there is no more horizontal space. I planted it as a backdrop for some wine-colored daylilies, but whether it will bloom at the same time I have no clue.

Oopsy. Sorry about that. It was about 3.5 feet tall.

Kate

anitamo; I see you are in the same zone. What height should it be before I cut it back in June? I have great luck with cutting back my phlox and asters: I'm eager to try it on many other things...

supposed to be smaller compared to the species... thats not saying much. The species is HYOOUGE.

My "regular" Joe goes to 8 feet tall.

linnea...I do my pruning two different ways: when they're about 3 feet tall or so (this is early June), I pinch the stems on ones in the middle of the border, and on others, I cut them back about 5-8 inches. You could also stagger them by cutting back the stems in front, but leave the ones in back alone.

Pinching doesn't really keep the size down, but it does make it a bushier plant. Cutting down the stems does make it a little shorter, though.

I don't have "Little Joe", so I'm curious to know how small it stays with pruning.

IÂll try pinching/ cutting back the front and sides and leave the center tall. I get a good succession of bloom with other plants that way: the unpinched center gets done first and then can be cut back and covered by the newly flowering outside branches. IÂll try to post on the success later.

Funny I donÂt remember at all what the leaves look like. I donÂt recognize these but it is in the right spot! I planted a Eupatorium Chocolate at the same time in a different garden: the leaves look so unlike.