“Boneset” alludes to the use of the plant to treat broken bones, although it may also come from its use to treat dengue fever, which was also called “breakbone fever,” because of the pain that it caused.

Its Latin species name perfoliatum, refers to the leaves and stem; the stem appears to pierce the leaf (perfoliate), making this an easy plant to identify.

This is one if Ohio’s few late-blooming summer flowers and it is quite attractive to butterflies. Although it is said to often grow along roadsides, I almost always see Boneset along creeks and other waterways.

Third Eye Herp
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