Plant · GBIF taxon 5400563
tall boneset
Eupatorium altissimumAlso known as Tall Thoroughwort
Tall boneset grows as a robust perennial herb that towers over native prairie grasses and meadow wildflowers each late summer. Its grayish-green stems bear narrow, opposite, three-veined leaves and top out in dense, flat-topped clusters of fuzzy white flowers. These abundant blossoms serve as an essential late-season nectar source for native bees, butterflies, and beneficial wasps preparing for winter.
Native PrairiePollinator MagnetLate Blooming
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- White-tailed Deer
- Livestock
- Grasshoppers
ThreatsHabitat loss, invasive species competition, herbicide spraying
HabitatsPrairies, open woodlands, fields, disturbed roadsides
Life spanPerennial (10+ years)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAsterales
- FamilyAsteraceae
- GenusEupatorium
- SpeciesEupatorium altissimum
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Look for dense swarms of native bees, skippers, and beneficial wasps on the nectar-rich flower heads from August through October.
- Identification: Check the leaves, which are distinctly three-veined, narrow, and attached directly to the stems in opposite pairs.
- Gardening: Plant in full sun and well-drained soil to support local pollinators without needing supplemental fertilizer.
Prairie Companion (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Thomas Koffel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Thomas Koffel · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michael J. Papay · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Étienne Lacroix-Carignan · cc0
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