tall boneset

Eupatorium altissimum

Tall boneset is a tall, leafy plant that grows in wet areas. It has clusters of small white flowers that attract butterflies and bees, making it a great friend to nature!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The tall boneset is a very tall, slender plant with rigid, usually hairy stems. It has narrow, lance-shaped leaves arranged oppositely, and boasts numerous small, fuzzy white flowers grouped into dense, flat-topped clusters at the top.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderAsteralesFamilyAsteraceaeGenusEupatorium

tall boneset

Interesting facts

Its fluffy seeds have tiny parachutes to fly far on the wind.

Its name 'boneset' comes from old stories of using it to treat fevers.

This tough plant can grow incredibly tall and fast, up to 6 feet in a summer!

Tiny white flowers appear so late in the year, providing vital food for insects.

Special abilities

Tall boneset has deep roots that help it find water in dry soil, letting it thrive where other plants might wilt.

Its flowers bloom late in the year, providing a crucial food source for pollinators when other flowers are scarce.

This plant has a strong root system that helps hold soil in place, preventing erosion in its habitat.

Measurements & details

Height: 100-200 cm
Spread: 45-90 cm
Flower Size: 0.3-0.7 cm
Bloom Season: Late summer to fall
Edible: No
Toxicity: Mild
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

Honey bee

Apis mellifera

collects nectar and pollen

pollinates

Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus

visits flowers for nectar

pollinates

Common eastern bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

important late-season pollinator

eaten by

Cabbage looper

Trichoplusia ni

larvae feed on leaves

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Cluster Flower

Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Herbivorous

This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

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.