Common Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Summary 2
Eupatorium perfoliatum or (common) boneset is a common North American perennial plant in the sunflower family. It is native to the Eastern United States and Canada, widespread from Nova Scotia to Florida, west as far as Texas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Manitoba. It is also called "agueweed", "feverwort" or "sweating-plant". It was introduced to Colonists by Native Americans who used the plant for breaking fevers by means of heavy sweating.
Description 3
Family:
Asteraceae (Aster)
Height:
2 to 4 feet
Leaves:
Wrinkly, opposite and joined at the base, stem appears to grow through the leaves
Flower:
Flat-topped cluster (2-3 inches) of many white tiny flowers, appears fuzzy
Bloom time:
July-October
Nicknames:
Sweating Plant
Habitat:
Wet meadows, marshes, ditches, and moist pastures
Wildlife Benefits:
Provides cover for amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals. Common boneset is also a late nectar source for butterflies.
Can I plant this in my garden?
Common boneset prefers full sun to part shade and soils that are moist and high in organic matter. It does not do well in clayey soils or strongly acidic soils.
References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/common-boneset
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/cm_boneset.htm
Range 3
Sources and Credits
- (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
- Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eupatorium_perfoliatum
- (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
- iNat taxon page
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- BOLD Systems BIN search
- eFloras.org
- Flora of North America (beta)
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
- Go Botany
- HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
- IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
- Maryland Biodiversity Project
- NatureServe Explorer 2.0
- OregonFlora.org
- SEINet Symbiota portals
- Tropicos
- USDA PLANTS database
- VASCAN by Canadensys
- World Flora Online
iNat Map
| Family | Asteraceae |
|---|---|
| Origin | native |
| Life cycle | perennial |
| Habit | Forb |
| Flower | white |
| Bloom time | (7) July, (8) August, (9) September, 10 - October |
| *sites | Gervais Mill Pond, Lake Phalen, Snail Lake |
