How to Grow Boneset Plant | Boneset Plant Care
Boneset is an attractive plant with white blooms and was used historically for medicinal properties. Learn how to grow the Boneset plant in a cinch by going through this post.
Boneset or Common Boneset plant is a perennial used for medicinal purposes by the native Americans and later in the colonial period. Attractive white flowers grow in clusters, are fragrant, and attract pollinators such as butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. It grows to a height of 3-4 feet tall and has a spread of around 3 feet when mature. Be cautious when you plant it in flower beds or any other spot in the garden where it shares space with other plants as it can turn invasive. All in all Boneset is a great plant to have in your backyard and in this article we’ll know all about growing boneset!
Scientific Name: Eupatorium perfoliatum
Common Names: Agueweed, Feverwort, Sweating plant, Common Boneset
USDA Zones: 4-9
How to Grow Boneset Plant
Propagation
Either you can buy the plant from the nearby garden center or propagate the plant from the seeds. The ideal time for sowing the seeds in the garden is in the late summer or the springs when all danger of frost has passed. You can also start the seeds early indoors 3-4 weeks before that last expected frost date. To facilitate germination, cold stratify the seeds as it mimics the cold the seeds will experience naturally outdoors. Seeds will germinate in a couple of weeks.
Transplanting
Transplanting the seedlings isn’t required if you started the seeds directly in the garden. For those who started the seeds indoors, transplant the seedlings when the danger of frost has passed. The nighttime temperature should also consistently remain above 65 degrees F before you transplant the seedlings outdoors.
Location
Boneset plant will do well in spots with partial shade to full sun, but if you want it to flower profusely, place it in full sun. When grown in containers, put it on a sunny windowsill, patio, or any other place it receives partial to full sun. A rain garden or a woodland-garden setting where the soil will remain consistently moist is ideal for growing boneset as it likes to stay in wet conditions.
Soil
The good news is that boneset can grow in almost any soil, be it clayey or sandy. Planting in clayey soil has a little advantage as boneset likes the soil to remain moist and clayey soil is better at holding moisture. You’ll have to water more frequently in sandy soil as it doesn’t retain water for long.
Water
Keeping the soil consistently moist and not letting the soil completely dry out is extremely important. Check the soil regularly, and it becomes dry to the touch; it’s ready for watering. Remember that the soil has to remain moist for proper growth but not waterlogged, so do not overwater.
Boneset Plant Care
Fertilizer
Fertilizing boneset is unnecessary as it grows well on average to poor soils and doesn’t necessarily need nutrients to grow. Still, if you want to enhance the soil’s quality, amending it with aged compost at the time of planting will suffice.
Pest and Diseases
Apart from common garden pests such as aphids, mealybugs, and scales, there isn’t much to worry about. Spraying the plant with a high-velocity stream of water will quickly get rid of such pests.
Toxicity
The medicinal benefits of boneset are not scientifically proven, so don’t intake any part of the plant without consulting a medical expert. Diarrhea and dermatitis are some of the side effects of consuming boneset.