Chocolate Boneset

Other Names: White Snakeroot; Joe Pye Weed

Ornamental Features:

Chocolate Boneset features beautiful plumes of lightly-scented white flowers at the ends of the stems from late summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It's attractive large serrated narrow leaves emerge purple in spring, turning dark green in colour throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. The burgundy stems are very effective and add winter interest.

Landscape Attributes:

Chocolate Boneset is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its wonderfully bold, coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced garden composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance perennial, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Chocolate Boneset is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Mass Planting

Plant Characteristics:

Chocolate Boneset will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This perennial does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This plant can be propagated by division.

This is a selection of a native North American species.