# common boneset (*Eupatorium perfoliatum*) Common boneset is a tall plant with pretty white flowers that bloom in late summer. It grows in wet places and is loved by butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![common boneset](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eupatorium_perfoliatum_001.JPG&width=800) Photo: SB_Johnny, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eupatorium_perfoliatum_001.JPG) ## Appearance The common boneset has stiff, hairy stems and distinctive, wrinkled leaves that appear to be pierced by the stem. Its small, fuzzy white flowers grow in flat-topped clusters, creating a cloud-like appearance from late summer to fall. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Eupatorium ## Interesting facts - Did you know its leaves look like the stem is growing right through them? - Hundreds of tiny white flowers huddle together to make one big, fluffy flower cloud! - Indigenous peoples used common boneset for aches and fevers for centuries! - This plant loves to grow where its "feet" are wet, often near swamps and streams! ## Special abilities - **Water-Collecting Leaves:** Common boneset has unique leaves that join around the stem, forming a cup to collect rainwater for the plant. - **Bitter Defense:** Common boneset can produce bitter compounds in its leaves, helping it to deter many hungry animals from eating it. - **Wet Feet Warrior:** Common boneset can thrive in very wet soils, using adaptations that help its roots get enough oxygen. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 90-180 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Summer to Fall (July-October) - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Important pollinator for its flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Nectar source for migrating monarchs. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — May browse leaves when other food is scarce. - **Depends on:** Larkspur Flower Moth (*Schinia mitis*) — Larvae feed specifically on boneset seeds. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching or picking plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common boneset? 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 common boneset? 90-180 cm ### How wide does common boneset spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on common boneset? 0.3-0.5 cm ### When does common boneset bloom? Late Summer to Fall (July-October) ### Is common boneset edible? No ### Is common boneset toxic? Mild ### What is common boneset's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Green Animals Topiary Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/green-animals-topiary-garden) — Rhode Island, US · Botanical Garden - [Rosemark](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rosemark) — Tennessee, US · Neighborhood - [Alfred Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alfred-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Bellport Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellport-village-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Canaan Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/canaan-street-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [Chenango County Courthouse District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chenango-county-courthouse-district) — New York, US · Historic District [View all places to see common boneset](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-boneset) ## 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: [Common Boneset: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-boneset)