Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Eupatorium perfoliatum is most formally known as Common Boneset. This wildflower is a North American perennial plant in the Aster family. Boneset is a common native to the Eastern United States and Canada, widespread from Nova Scotia to Florida, west as far as Texas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Manitoba. The native species plant is also called Agueweed, Feverwort, or Sweating-Plant. Introduced to American colonists for medicinal use by First Nations people, the aerial parts were used for breaking fevers by means of heavy sweating. Boneset is nearly always found in low, wet areas. Purchasing an ounce of Boneset seed can result in hundreds of plants.
Eupatorium perfoliatum grows easily from seed. Additionally, it fits in well and loves a rain garden setting. Certainly, a large butterfly garden or pollinator garden should definitely have Eupatorium plants. There about ten species of Eupatorium plants that we grow in our NYS wildflower farm. “Joe Pye” is the other Eupatorium plant, though modern taxonomists refer to it these days as “Eutrochium.”
Would you like to have our landscaping team come and develop some butterfly gardens or pollinator gardens with Eupatorium plants on your property? We’d love to. If you fill out the customer intake form, we’ll be in touch soon.
