The botanical name of Boneset plant
is Eupatorium perfoliatum and the plant is a native to the wetlands of North
America that has a long medicinal history and an attractive, distinctive
appearance. While the plant is still sometimes grown and foraged for its
healing properties, it also an appeal plant to American gardeners as a native
plant that actually attracts pollinators. Just continue reading to learn more on
how to grow boneset and the common boneset plant uses.
Information about Boneset Plant
The Boneset plant goes by several
other names, including feverwort, agueweed, and sweating plant. As you may actually
guess from the names, the plant has a history of being used medicinally. In
fact, the plant gets its primary name because it was used to treat dengue, or
“breakbone,” fever. The Boneset plant was frequently used as a medicine by
Native Americans and also by early European settlers, who actually took the
herb back to Europe where it was used to treat flu. The Boneset plant is an
herbaceous perennial that is hardy all the way down to USDA Hardiness zone three.
The Boneset plant has an upright growing pattern, usually reaching about four
feet (1 m.) in height. The plant leaves are hard to miss, as they grow on
opposite sides of the plant stem and connect at the base, which creates the
illusion that the plant stem grows up out of the center of the plant leaves. The
Boneset plant flowers are small, white, and tubular, and they appear in flat
clusters at the tops of the plant stems in late summer.
Growing Boneset Plants
To actually grow boneset plants is very
easy. The Boneset plants grow naturally in wetlands and along the banks of
streams, and the plant perform well even in very wet soil. The Boneset plant
like partial to full sun and the plant make great additions to the woodland
garden. In fact, this relative of joe-pye weed shares many of the same rowing
conditions. The Boneset plants can be grown from seed, but the plant won’t
produce flowers for 2 to 3 years.
Uses of Boneset Plant
The Boneset plant has been used for centuries
as a medicine and is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. The
aboveground part of the Boneset plants can be harvested, dried, and steeped
into a tea. According to research, the plant can be toxic to the liver.
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