Its opposite leaves are joined at the base and surround the stem, making it look like the stem pierces through the leaf—a key ID feature.
Widely used by indigenous people and settlers as a folk remedy for fevers, colds, and influenza, earning it the name boneset because it was thought to treat “breakbone fever” (dengue).
Seeds are eaten by some songbirds, while dense stems provide habitat for overwintering insects.
Boneset was once one of the most widely used medicinal herbs in North America during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Its opposite leaves are joined at the base and surround the stem, making it look like the stem pierces through the leaf—a key ID feature.
Widely used by indigenous people and settlers as a folk remedy for fevers, colds, and influenza, earning it the name boneset because it was thought to treat “breakbone fever” (dengue).
Seeds are eaten by some songbirds, while dense stems provide habitat for overwintering insects.
Boneset was once one of the most widely used medicinal herbs in North America during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Bloom: late summer to early fall
Habitats: bogs; edges of rivers; fens; marshes; opening in floodplain forests; poorly drained areas of black soil prairies; sand flats along Lake Michigan; seeps
Lifespan: perennial
Moisture: wet to moist
Plant type (height): forb (2 to 4 feet)
Requirements: full sun to partial sun
Soil: contain considerable organic material so that it can retain moisture
