Boneset Companion Plants - Ask Extension
Hi! This spring I planted natives in a new garden. I established on the side of my house. The garden includes bone set, black-eyed. Susan, purple, con...
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Boneset Companion Plants #879557
Asked July 31, 2024, 10:51 AM EDT
Hi! This spring I planted natives in a new garden. I established on the side of my house. The garden includes bone set, black-eyed. Susan, purple, coneflower, cedum, and aster. I have noticed that the bone set is thriving (I have about 5 boneset plants). But the plants that are around it, especially the coneflower and black eyed Susan, seem to be slow-growing and small. Could the boneset plant be stunting their growth? Should I take it out or cut it down?
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
It's great to hear that you are planting a garden full of natives.
All of the plants that you mention are perennial plants that return from year to year. Perennial plants are slower to establish... there is even a saying for them:
"the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap!".
Most types do this and hopefully you planned for their mature size or can divide and move/share some later.
The Boneset though is a tough and more vigorous grower, and also tends to self-seed easily if you don't remove spent flowers before they set seed. They are also larger, taller plants overall, so they'd be best behind shorter plants. I have had some luck with giving them a mid-summer shear- cutting them back by half. This may delay flowering a bit but keeps them shorter overall.
You will likely need to do some editing of the garden to help the slower and more timid growers get their fair share of space, sun, and water.
Once established, these plants won't need much care, but this year has been stressful for most plants/trees given long periods of high heat and concerning drought conditions in much of central Maryland. If you can offer them supplemental water they will appreciate it.
Christine
All of the plants that you mention are perennial plants that return from year to year. Perennial plants are slower to establish... there is even a saying for them:
"the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap!".
Most types do this and hopefully you planned for their mature size or can divide and move/share some later.
The Boneset though is a tough and more vigorous grower, and also tends to self-seed easily if you don't remove spent flowers before they set seed. They are also larger, taller plants overall, so they'd be best behind shorter plants. I have had some luck with giving them a mid-summer shear- cutting them back by half. This may delay flowering a bit but keeps them shorter overall.
You will likely need to do some editing of the garden to help the slower and more timid growers get their fair share of space, sun, and water.
Once established, these plants won't need much care, but this year has been stressful for most plants/trees given long periods of high heat and concerning drought conditions in much of central Maryland. If you can offer them supplemental water they will appreciate it.
Christine
