Eupatorium varieties & species: the most beautiful at a glance

It is not only because of its attraction to butterflies that boneset is an attractive perennial for the garden. Due to its great diversity of species and varieties, there is a colourful selection, where everyone will find.

Boneset (Eupatorium) is excellent for adding to a moist perennial bed. In this article, we will give you an overview of the most beautiful and important varieties and species of boneset, going into more detail about their specifics.

Eupatorium varieties and species: How many are there?

Until 1987, the genus of water-dust still consisted of 800 to 1200 species but these were then divided among some other genera such as Ageratina, Eutrochium or Mikania. What remains are now almost 40 species, among which are mostly perennial, herbaceous plants but also annuals or semi-shrubs. The so-called type species, which has been established as a proxy for the typical appearance of the genus, is the Hemp-agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum). It is native to Europe, North Africa as well as the Near East. A large number of the species are also native to North America and another part in East Asia.

The most beautiful species and varieties at a glance

Among other things, the varieties and species of boneset differ in their growth height, flower colour, flowering time, and sometimes in their site requirements. Below we present in more detail the most beautiful species with their specific characteristics and name a few of the most popular varieties.

Hemp-agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)

Hemp-agrimonuy is also known as holy rope. It is – as already mentioned – the type species of the genus Eupatorium. In the wild, it is found primarily on moist riverbanks and in clearings in riparian forests. Hemp-agrimony is often found in the company of fence bindweed (Calystegia sepium) and willowherb (Epilobium spec.). The sites are very rich in nitrogen, moist and are located in sunny to light semi-shady position. On strongly acidic soils water broom does not grow.
The clumps of this species reach a height of growth of up to 150 cm. Pale purple to pink flowerheads appear from early July to mid-August. The seed heads retain their shape until late fall, giving them an ornamental appearance even at this time of year. As long as there is nothing in the way of the vigorous boneset, it spreads by short runners. To contain this, tall shrubs and bushes can be planted nearby to act as competition. The species also reproduces via self-seeding but not too much.

• Eupatorium cannabinum ˈPlenumˈ: The variety forms somewhat denser, strong pink flowerheads and reaches a height of about 100 to 120 cm.

Common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Common Boneset is also called agueweed, feverwort or sweating plant. It is found in moist to wet meadows, prairies, and savannas, as well as riparian areas and clearings or edges of wet woodlands. The sites can be full sun to deep partial shade. The height of the broad-growing eyries is between 80 and 130 cm. The faintly fragrant common boneset forms dense bushy stands through short root runners. The name of the species comes from the opposite arranged leaves: due to the lower pairs of leaves fused at the base, one could think that these are grown through by the shaggy-haired stem. From mid-July to mid-October, the white flowers appear in dense, flattened flowerheads. Here, the seed stalks with the fruits look equally ornamental. In sunny locations, it happens that the foliage of this species takes on a reddish hue.

Common boneset (Eupatorium fistulosum)

Synonyms for Common boneset are also agueweed, feverwort or sweating plant. This species feels comfortable on water banks, sunny open spaces, or semi-shaded edges of wooded areas as long as the soils are moist. Eupatorium fistulosum reaches stately heights between about 180 and 200 cm. The imposing flower umbels appear from early July to late September in shades ranging from matte purple to matte red. The stems of the common boneset are also slightly reddish to purple in colour.

Purple Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum)

Purple Joe-Pye weed is also known as sweet-scented joe pye weed. It likes to grow on nutritious as well as base-rich humus-loamy soils in the typical locations. Although the perennial can survive a few short dry spells and can even manage on the root plate of large trees, it only develops its full beauty in moist locations. The clumps of this species even reach heights of over 200 cm. From July to early September, the perennial bears light pink to dark red flower umbels. In the case of red boneset, the seed heads serve as a beautiful ornamental in autumn.

White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima; syn.: Eupatorium rugosum)

White snakeroot formerly belonged to the genus Eupatorium and is also called richweed or white sanicle. In trade, however, the use of the now invalid name is the normal case. The species is often found in warmth-favourable locations with more or less neutral, nutritious soils. Compared to the other varieties, brown-leaved boneset reaches a rather dainty height of 80 to 100 cm. The small, white flower umbels appear somewhat less profusely from early July through October. Self-seeding allows the species to spread rapidly over a wide area in suitable locations. Once the perennial is well established, it proves to be robust and assertive.

• Ageratina altissima ˈChocolateˈ: The distinctive feature of this vigorous ‘Chocolateˈ boneset is its reddish-brown foliage, which contrasts sharply with its white flower umbels.

Tip: With adequate water supply, the species E. cannabinum, E. fistulosum, and E. rugosum can also be cultivated in the garden bed. But you should then make sure that the soil is well humus and can store a lot of water. Mix poorer garden soils with a planting soil that will improve the long-term water-holding capacity of the subsoil. One suitable substrate is our Plantura Organic Enriched Compost. It is nutrient-rich and improves soil quality, plus much of it is recycled from green waste, which improves its environmental footprint. By covering the root zone of your waterbush with mulch, you can further preserve the moist, cool climate in the soil and save watering water.

Spotted boneset (Eupatorium maculatum)

The preferred locations of the Spotted Waterdust are full sun to at most light partial shade. The species can cope with occasional wetness. The spreading clumps can grow up to 200 cm tall and bear pink to dark red flower umbels from July to early September. A pinkish-greenish hue can be seen on the flowerheads before and after flowering. The species takes its time with budding until about May. The longer the foliage remains on the plant in autumn and winter. Spotted boneset is similar in appearance to red boneset, often resulting in naming errors. Although Eupatorium maculatum produces a lot of seed, self-seeding rarely occurs.

• ‘Big umbrellaˈ: The name of this 160 to 180-cm tall variety is given by the imposing flower umbrellas, which are covered with wine-red flowers from July to September.
• Eupatorium ˈGlutballˈ: Extremely late from early September to mid-October, the dark purple flowers of this 180 to 200 cm tall variety appear.
• Eupatorium ˈPurple Bushˈ: Boneset ˈPurple Bushˈ is suitable for smaller beds with its compact height of 120 to 140 cm. Its purple flowers open from August to October.
• Eupatorium ˈAlbumˈ: This vigorous variety bears large, white flower umbels from July to September and reaches a growth height of 150 to 200 cm.
• Eupatorium ˈBaby Joeˈ: Boneset ˈBaby Joeˈ is a very petite variety with a height of 70 to 100 cm. Its pale purple-pink flower appears from July to September.