Flower profile
Blackroot
Pterocaulon pycnostachyum
Blackroot is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Florida it's most often seen in bloom in March–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Florida
Quick look
Pterocaulon pycnostachyum, with the common names dense-spike blackroot, fox-tail blackroot or coastal blackroot, is a flowering plant species native to the U.S. southeast coastal plain in the states of Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. It can be found in pinelands, ditches, depressions, and fields.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 6 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Florida. NatureServe
- In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–June. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 5,795 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #27 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
Blackroot gift ideas
Handmade blackroot 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.
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Blackroot art print
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Blackroot greeting card
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Blackroot mug
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Blackroot earrings
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Blackroot embroidery pattern
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Blackroot sticker
When does it bloom?
In Florida, most flowering sightings come in March–June.
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
- Florida
- Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S5, secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
- 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.
Can you eat it?
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.
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 blackroot in 6 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina.
Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, Washington.
More Florida flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PTPY2.
- iNaturalist, Pterocaulon pycnostachyum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Pterocaulon pycnostachyum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Florida: Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055).
- Florida: Florida Noxious Weed List (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-57.007).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Pterocaulon pycnostachyum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Laura Gaudette via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.