# Bonesets (*eupatorium*)

Bonesets are tall, leafy plants that are great for butterflies! They have clusters of white or purple flowers that bloom in late summer, attracting all sorts of insects.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** Bonesets typically grow in wet meadows, along stream banks, and in lowland areas.
- **Also known as:** Boneset flower, Eupatorium

![Bonesets](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eupatorium_cannabinum_ziedai%252C_2006-07-22.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Algirdas at Lithuanian Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eupatorium_cannabinum_ziedai%252C_2006-07-22.JPG)

## Appearance

The Bonesets is a tall, sturdy plant featuring straight stems and fuzzy, lance-shaped leaves. Its small, white or pale purple flowers grow in dense, flat-topped clusters that make them highly visible and attractive to pollinators in late summer.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Eupatorium

## Interesting facts

- Even after flowering, Boneset's dried seed heads provide food for small birds in winter.
- Its common name comes from old beliefs it could help heal fevers from 'breakbone fever'!
- Some Native American tribes used Boneset to treat various ailments, passing down remedies.
- The fuzzy leaves of some Boneset types help them hold onto morning dew, staying hydrated!

## Special abilities

- **Water Wizardry:** Bonesets can thrive in soggy soil because its roots are adapted to wet conditions, helping it grow where other plants struggle.
- **Pollinator Party Host:** Bonesets has wide, flat flower clusters that act like landing pads, making it easy for many different insects to visit and collect nectar.
- **Tough Stem Power:** Bonesets has robust, often purplish stems that stand tall against winds and heavy rains, keeping its flowers visible.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 90-180 cm
- **Spread:** 45-90 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from its abundant flowers.
- **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Relies on Boneset as a late-season nectar source.
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — A frequent visitor, collecting nectar and spreading pollen.

## Traits

- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Bonesets?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Bonesets?

90-180 cm

### How wide does Bonesets spread?

45-90 cm

### How big are the flowers on Bonesets?

0.3-0.5 cm

### When does Bonesets bloom?

Late summer to fall

### Is Bonesets edible?

No

### Is Bonesets toxic?

Mild

### What is Bonesets's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [W.J. Freeman Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/w-j-freeman-park) — Tennessee, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

---

Source: [Bonesets: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bonesets)