Flower profile

Late boneset

Eupatorium serotinum

Native in the lower 48

Late boneset is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 18 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in August–October.

32states

18of our state lists

41,723U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia

Quick look

Eupatorium serotinum, also known as late boneset or late thoroughwort, is a fall-blooming, perennial, herbaceous plant native to North America.
From Wikipedia's article Eupatorium serotinum, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Asteraceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 32 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–October. ^iNaturalist
In Maryland, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–October. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 8,844 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #65 among the 109 flowers on our Texas list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 3,275 research-grade sightings of it in Maryland, ranking #33 among the 110 flowers on our Maryland list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,885 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #59 among the 110 flowers on our Virginia list. ^iNaturalist

Late boneset gift ideas

Handmade late boneset gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

Placeholder

Late boneset art print
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Late boneset greeting card
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Late boneset mug
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Late boneset earrings
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Late boneset embroidery pattern
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Late boneset sticker
Gift pick coming soon

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,492 records)

Bloom time in each of our 18 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Texas	Native	August–October	8,844
Maryland	Native	August–October	3,275
Virginia	Native	August–October	2,885
Illinois	Native	August–October	2,705
New Jersey	Native	August–October	2,403
Pennsylvania	Introduced	August–October	2,154
Georgia	Native	August–October	1,967
Ohio	Native	August–October	1,843
Arkansas	Native	August–October	1,424
Alabama	Native	August–October	1,413
Missouri	Native	August–October	1,396
Tennessee	Native	August–October	1,281
Louisiana	Native	September–November	1,180
Indiana	Native	August–October	1,053
Oklahoma	Native	August–November	937
Kentucky	Native	August–October	664
Mississippi	Native	August–October	504
Delaware	Native	August–October	394

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Texas: Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Texas. ^{31 TAC 69.8}
Maryland: Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. ^{COMAR 08.03.08}
Virginia: Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. ^2VAC5-320-10
Illinois: Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. ^{IL E&T checklist 2025}
New Jersey: Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe: S5, secure in New Jersey. ^{N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1}
Pennsylvania: Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Pennsylvania. ^{17 Pa. Code Ch. 45}
Georgia: Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. ^{Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09}
Ohio: Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. ^{OAC 1501:18-1-03}
Arkansas: No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
Alabama: No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
Missouri: Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. ^{3 CSR 10-4.111}
Tennessee: Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. ^{TN rule 0400-06-02-.04}
Louisiana: No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
Indiana: No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Indiana.
Oklahoma: No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
Kentucky: Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. ^{400 KAR 3:040}
Mississippi: No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
Delaware: Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Delaware. ^{DE rare plants 2024}
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S3 in Delaware. ^NatureServe

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records late boneset in 32 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Texas counties with USDA records: Anderson, Angelina, Aransas, Bandera, Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brown, Burnet, Cass, Chambers, Clay, Coke, Comal, Dallas, DeWitt, Denton, Edwards, Erath, Fannin, Fort Bend, Franklin, Galveston, Gillespie, Gonzales, Grayson, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Henderson, Hill, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Johnson, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Kleberg, Lamar, Lee, Liberty, Llano, Madison, Mason, McLennan, Menard, Milam, Montague, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Nueces, Orange, Parker, Polk, Real, Robertson, Rusk, San Patricio, Shelby, Smith, Tarrant, Taylor, Titus, Tom Green, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Wharton, Williamson.

Maryland counties with USDA records: Dorchester.

Virginia counties with USDA records: Accomack, Albemarle, Amherst, Bedford, Buchanan, Buckingham, Caroline, Carroll, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesapeake , Chesterfield, Dickenson, Essex, Fairfax, Fauquier, Gloucester, Hampton , Henrico, Isle of Wight, James City, King George, King William, King and Queen, Lancaster, Lee, Loudoun, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Newport News , Northampton, Northumberland, Prince George, Prince William, Pulaski, Richmond, Roanoke, Russell, Scott, Southampton, Stafford, Suffolk , Surry, Tazewell, Virginia Beach , Washington, Westmoreland, Wise, York.

More Texas flowers

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Introduced

🌼 Blooms: April–September

Goldenrods

Solidago

★ KY state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms: July–October

White snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

Native

🌼 Blooms: August–October

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile EUSE2.
iNaturalist, Eupatorium serotinum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Eupatorium serotinum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Texas: Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Texas: Texas noxious and invasive plant list (4 Tex. Admin. Code § 19.300(a)).
Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
Illinois: Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist.
Illinois: Illinois Official List of Exotic Weeds (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1100.30, Illinois Exotic Weed Act).
New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023).
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture) (PDA's page spells garlic mustard “Allaria petiolata”; we match it as Alliaria petiolata).
Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
Missouri: Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants.
Missouri: Missouri noxious weed list (2 CSR 70-45.005).
Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
Indiana: Indiana prohibited invasive terrestrial plants (312 IAC 18-3-25).
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Noxious Weed Law (2 O.S. § 3-220).
Kentucky: Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026).
Kentucky: Kentucky noxious weeds and invasive plants on state rights-of-way (KRS 176.051; species list from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet).
Mississippi: Mississippi Noxious Weed List (2 Miss. Code R. 1-3-01-136.01).
Delaware: Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list).
Delaware: Delaware Invasive Plant List (3 Del. Admin. Code § 806-3.0).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Eupatorium serotinum (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Sandy Wolkenberg via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.