Herbal Focus: Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum

A Mighty Herb: Boneset Benefits for the Cold and Flu Season 

A native perennial largely found in eastern North America, from Nova Scotia to Florida and several states out west, boneset is traditionally used to bring down fevers — including those involved with malaria and dengue fever. But its usefulness doesn't end there. Boneset benefits for the cold and flu season also include helping to alleviate bronchitis, excess congestion, and more. It's an excellent herb to have on hand as we enter into autumn, as well as if you have travel plans for tropical locations where serious vector-borne illness is a concern.

Basic Identification

Erect with hairy stems, boneset grows 2 to 4 feet (0.6m to 1.2m) high with stems that branch on the top. Leaves are lance-shaped and finely toothed with prominent veins — they are rough on top and downy, resinous, and dotted on the underside. The leaves are 4 to 8 inches (10 cm to 20 cm) long. Either perforated by the stem or connate with two opposite leaves joined at the base, they are easily distinguished. The flower heads are terminal and slightly convex with 10-20 white florets arranged in a single row. Slightly aromatic, their taste is astringent and bitter. Boneset flowers from July to September.

Harvesting

Harvest the leaves and flowering stems during the summer, right before the buds open. Dry to preserve for later use. If collecting the seeds, they are ripe about a month after flowering and can be collected once the heads are dry, split, and the fluffy seeds begin to float away. If you collect the seeds earlier, dry the seed heads in open paper bags for 1 to 2 weeks. 

Where Does Boneset Grow?

Boneset is a native perennial to North America, growing from Nova Scotia to Florida, and as far west as Manitoba, the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Texas.

Recipe. Boneset Infusion. 

Take boneset tea to relieve fevers and treat colds, flu, and similar diseases. Use it cold as a tonic or tincture.

Ingredients: 1-ounce dried boneset leaf, 1-quart (1Liter) boiling water, 1-quart (1 Liter) jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Instructions: Put the dried boneset leaves into the jar and pour the boiling water over it to fill the jar. Tightly cap the jar and shake it gently to distribute the herb.

Let the infusion steep for 4 hours. Strain through a coffee filter or a fine sieve to remove the plant matter. Warm it before drinking. It is very bitter, but warming it helps.

Medicinal Uses: Can Boneset Reduce a Fever?

The dried flowers and leaves are antispasmodic, sweat inducer, bile-producer, emetic, laxative, purgative, stimulant, and vasodilator. Boneset is well-known for reducing fevers. Do not consume fresh boneset due to some degree of toxicity — always dry the leaves and flowers before using.

Here are my top 3 uses for boneset:

Colds, influenza, bronchitis, congestion, expectorant. Boneset is an outstanding medicinal herb for treating the common cold and influenza, as well as respiratory infections. It reduces the production of mucus, loosens phlegm, and helps to expel it from the body. Moreover, boneset fights both bacterial and viral infections. It also encourages sweating to help reduce fevers.

Dengue fever. While typically associated with tropical environments, dengue fever is now on the rise in North America. Boneset is the herb of choice for fighting this painful mosquito-borne disease that involves high fevers, along with terrible muscle and bone pain — thus the name "break bone fever". It lowers the fever and fights the underlying cause of the disease. Boneset also helps to provide some relief from the pain.

Malaria. Another vector-borne disease spread by mosquitoes, boneset helps to promote sweating and relieve the fever associated with malaria, while also lessening the severity of the disease. 

Safety 

Do not use boneset for pregnant or nursing mothers or for young children. Use only for acute illness, not for long-term use.

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