Fall Wildflower - Eupatorium serotinum - Late Boneset

Eupatorium serotinumBoneset will grow from two to five feet in height,
Family Asteraceae- Asterwith toothed leaves on opposite sides of the stems.
Late Boneset is a fall blooming wildflower usuallyIt begins blooming in early September and continues
found in woodlands and in the marginal areas aroundthrough the month. Eupatorium serotinum, is a bit too
them. Its range runs from Massachusetts in theweedy looking to include in a perennial garden,
eastern United States, west to Kansas, and fromhowever it is quite pretty in the wild stands found in
Wisconsin in the north, south to Kentucky and Westwoodlands, abandoned fields and marginal area near
Virginia. It is pretty common here in Indiana, formingforests. It is frequently found growing with
thick drifts of pure white blooms in and near thegoldenrod, the snow white flowering bracts
forest.contrasting nicely with the brilliant golden color of the
Boneset was thought to be useful for aiding brokengoldenrod.
bones to set by early herbalists, so it was wrappedOne of the more common fall blooming wildflowers,
in bandages and splints and placed around brokenLate Boneset's snow white flowers beautify the
bones. A tea made from its dried leaves was givenautumn woodlands and fields of the countryside. No
for colds, coughs and constipation. It has been foundlonger considered a healing herb, the heavily blooming
to be more harmful than helpful, as it can causeplants are soothing to the eye in the bright
kidney and liver damage when taken.September sun.