I want to take a look at one of my favorite and often underrated native plants of the moment: Late Boneset (Eupatorium serotinum).

A couple months ago, I noticed an unfamiliar plant growing in my lawn and decided to let it grow and boy did it grow! Now it stands proudly at nearly six feet tall.

When summer begins to fade and many flowers have finished blooming, Late Boneset steps into the spotlight. With its clusters of small, fluffy white flowers, this hardy perennial provides crucial ecological value at a time when resources are dwindling.

Native to much of the eastern and central United States, Late Boneset thrives along woodland edges, roadsides, prairies, and disturbed soils. Its resilience and adaptability allow it to flourish in both moist and dry conditions, often forming large, luminous stands that brighten the fall landscape.

Walking  into my garden, I can’t help but notice the immense amount of activity surrounding this plant. The buzzing is quite loud and countless pollinators are darting from one flower to another.

My garden doesn’t yet have a substantial amount or variety of native species, but right now, at this time of year, the Late Boneset stands out as the busiest plant in the garden.

And one of the reasons the Boneset is so ecologically valuable is its timing. Blooming from late summer into fall, it produces abundant nectar and pollen just when many insects are preparing for migration, reproduction, or winter dormancy. Let’s take a look at some of the visitors we can find :

• Pollinators: Late boneset attracts a wide array of pollinators, including native bees, honeybees, wasps, beetles, and butterflies. Monarchs and other migratory species often stop at boneset patches to refuel. By providing food when other floral resources are scarce, late boneset helps sustain insect populations through a critical seasonal transition.
  

Here are a few of the visitors I was able to photograph:

While it may not boast the showy flowers of garden favorites, late boneset earns its place as an ecological keystone of the autumn season. By planting or protecting this native perennial, land stewards, gardeners, and restoration practitioners can provide an invaluable resource for pollinators and wildlife .

What a GLORIOUS plant!

By Inés Díaz