Boneset

Boneset, Cup Plant, Coreopsis

The photo to the right captures three natives and one herb, all of which will receive their own posts.  I'll start with Boneset.  This plant holds nostalgic significance for me.  I first identified it when I was much younger, largely because the plant is very distinctive.  Not obvious here (have I mentioned I want a new camera) is the unique leaf structure.  Eupatororium perfoliatum refers to this structure, in which the stems seem to perforate the paired leaves.  The long spear-shaped leaves are handsome in their own right.  They have a quilted texture and toothed edges.  The flowers are a dull white, not snowy like White Snakeroot, but still white enough to stand out in the moonlit garden.  They are rich in nectar and attract many flies, bees and tiny beetles, as well as butterflies.  This plant is a seedling from this spring, so you can see it matures quickly.  Plants reach three to four feet if not pinched back.  The plants don't become invasive or aggressive, but they do seed down readily.  The flowers give way to fluffy seed heads, each seed equipped with a pappus, or fuzzy parachute, that carries them long distances.  They move easily enough that they are not a bother.  Boneset is a common plant of wet areas like ditches, marshes and bogs, but will grow well in normal garden conditions.  Besides pollinators, the foliage attracts a few nibblers, but nothing that really disfigures the plant.  I provide support for the ones growing next to my pond as the wet flowers sometimes bend a few stems into the water.  Boneset refers to the plants supposed use in treating Breakbone Fever, and even the mending for broken bones.  A bitter tea made from the plant will induce sweating and is used by some for the treatment of colds.  I just like the way it looks in my garden.