Bloomipedia
Late boneset (Eupatorium serotinum)
Photo: Sandy Wolkenberg via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Late boneset

Eupatorium serotinum

Late boneset (Eupatorium serotinum) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly August–October across the U.S.

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 where USDA records it
18Bloomipedia state lists include it
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.

  • 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 #66 among the 169 flowers on our Texas list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,275 research-grade sightings of it in Maryland, ranking #35 among the 189 flowers on our Maryland list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,885 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #61 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,492 records)
Bloom time in the 18 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
TexasNativeAugust–October8,844
MarylandNativeAugust–October3,275
VirginiaNativeAugust–October2,885
IllinoisNativeAugust–October2,705
New JerseyNativeAugust–October2,403
PennsylvaniaIntroducedAugust–October2,154
GeorgiaNativeAugust–October1,967
OhioNativeAugust–October1,843
ArkansasNativeAugust–October1,424
AlabamaNativeSeptember–October1,413
MissouriNativefew records (41)1,396
TennesseeNativefew records (25)1,281
LouisianaNativeSeptember–November1,180
IndianaNativeAugust–October1,053
OklahomaNativefew records (40)937
KentuckyNativeAugust–September664
MississippiNativeSeptember–October504
DelawareNativefew records (21)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
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 12 of our 18 states.
See each state
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 982 counties across 32 states; the most are in Illinois (99), Missouri (95), Texas (84).

Other Eupatorium on Bloomipedia (3): Common boneset, Dogfennel, Tall boneset.

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

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Sources