This late-summer meadow perennial is covered with clouds of dense, flat clusters of white florets that draw a myriad of pollinators. Although it's a member of the Aster family, its narrow, gray-green foliage is reminiscent of Hyssop officinalis, which is in the Mint family. It thrives in well-drained, moist to dry sites in full to part sun. It's especially valuable in dry areas where plants struggle to grow and looks spectacular when massed. It's listed as endangered in Ohio, where it blooms from August to October and is found in mostly the southern range of the state. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, "(Hyssop thoroughwort) displays extreme morphological variability throughout its range. Diploid and triploid races are known and the species may be of hybrid origin. Ohio plants have been treated as the var. laciniatum A. Gray." Hyssop-leaved boneset's native range extends from Massachusetts to Florida and west to Texas. Although its narrow, whorled leaves renders it fairly distinctive, it may still be confused with other white-flowered Eupatorium species, especially E. altissimum, or Kuhnia eupatorioides.
Native habitats include average to wet, often-sandy soils of fields, roadsides, pond shores, clearings, and borrow pits. Use in cottage or rain gardens, perennial borders, and water-wise landscapes. Suggested companion plants include black-eyed Susan, purple coneflower, little bluestem, goldenrods, and dense blazingstar.
Plant Characteristics:
Grows 2-4' tall.
Needs full or part sun.
Grows in moist to dry soils, especially sandy, but adapts to other soil types and thrives in dry conditions.
Wildlife Value:
Eupatoriums are host plants for 32 species of Lepidoptera larvae, including moth specialists three-lined flower, boneset borer, Iva flower, Eupatorium borer, tricose dart, and Joe-pye weed borer. Deer and rabbits tend to avoid browsing the plant.
Medicinal, Edible, and Other Uses:
According to Plants of Louisiana (https://warcapps.usgs.gov/PlantID/Species/Details/3336), "The species in this genus had many medicinal uses by early pioneers. Their leaves were used as a poultice under splints to heal broken bones, which explains the origin of its common name, "boneset."" Multiple resources online reference external use for insect and reptile bites.
Caution: There are no reliable sources documenting safe internal use.
Resources:
Cape Cod Native Plants
https://capecodnativeplants.org/hyssop-leaved-boneset/
National Wildlife Federation
https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/Plants/1284
Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources
https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/plants-trees/flowering-plants/hyssop-thoroughwort
