Eupatorium perfoliatum (Boneset)

Native wetland perennial • Late-season bloom • Keystone pollinator plant

Eupatorium perfoliatum, commonly called Boneset, is a moisture-loving native perennial with clouds of fuzzy white blooms that support a massive range of pollinators late into the season. It thrives in wet soils, rain gardens, floodplains, and pond edges, places many garden plants struggle.

 Light

• Full sun to part sun
  
  

• Best bloom in open sites
  
  

• Handles some afternoon shade, especially in the deep South
  
  

Water

• Loves consistently moist soil
  
  

• Thrives in wet areas
  
  

• Excellent rain garden plant
  
  

• Performs in clay, boggy soils, and pond margins
  
  

Do not allow prolonged drought during establishment.

Soil

• Clay, loam, or organic-rich soils
  
  

• Handles boggy conditions
  
  

• Avoid fast-drying sandy soil unless irrigated
  
  

 Hardiness

• USDA Zones 3–9
  
  

• Heat and cold hardy
  
  

• Excellent for Southeast humidity
  
  

 Blooming

• Late summer into fall
  
  

• Huge ecological value
  
  

• Supports:
  
  

  • monarchs
    
    

  • native bees
    
    

  • swallowtails
    
    

  • moths
    
    

  • beetle pollinators
    
    

  • beneficial predatory insects
    
    

  • migrating butterflies
    
    

One of the BEST late-season nectar sources you can plant.

 Growth Habit

• Upright perennial
  
  

• 3–5 ft tall
  
  

• Slowly clumping
  
  

• Very sturdy stems
  
  

• Beautiful texture with perfoliate leaves that wrap the stem
  
  

 Planting Notes

Depth:

• Plant crown level
  
  

Spacing:

• 24–36 inches
  
  

Will fill out a wet native border beautifully.

 Best Landscape Uses

• Rain gardens
  
  

• Wet prairie designs
  
  

• Pond edges
  
  

• Meadow plantings
  
  

• Monarch gardens
  
  

• Restoration plantings
  
  

• Wildlife habitat gardens
  
  

• Companion Plants

Pairs perfectly with:

• Asclepias incarnata
  
  

• Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium)
  
  

• Hibiscus moscheutos
  
  

• Iris virginica
  
  

• Rudbeckia
  
  

• Liatris
  
  

• Eupatorium (other species)
  
  

Native Value

Exceptional late-season nectar provider for multiple insect guilds, especially monarchs and native bees. One of the most ecologically important wetland perennials.

⚠ Common Problems

Flopping

Too much shade.

Sparse flowering

Needs more sun or moisture.

Stunted growth

Dry or sandy soil.