Eupatorium perfoliatum - Boneset - 3" Pot

Boneset is a handsome, clump-forming herbaceous perennial in the aster family that prefers full to partial sunlight and consistently moist soils. It can tolerate flooding for short periods of time. With its prolific rhizomes it often forms vegetative colonies.

Its specific epithet “perfoliatum” refers to its oppositely arranged, highly textured, lance-shaped leaves that fuse at the base such that the stem appears to “perforate” the fused pairs. Boneset blooms in late summer to fall, producing flat-topped clusters of brilliantly white flowers which stand out in a garden late in the season. The flowers are followed by small seeds topped with tufts of hair to aid in dispersal via wind. Although the bitter-tasting foliage is largely avoided by mammalian herbivores, the fragrant flowers are enjoyed by an array of insects such as bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and beetles. Moreover, various parts of the plant are used by caterpillar species such as the Clymene moth, lined ruby tiger moth, burdock borer moth, three-lined flower moth, blackberry looper moth, and geometrid moth species. Boneset is well-suited to water gardens, shade gardens, and cottage-style gardens.