Flower profile
Coastalplain chaffhead
Carphephorus corymbosus
Coastalplain chaffhead is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Florida it's most often seen in bloom in September–November.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Florida
Quick look
Carphephorus corymbosus, the Florida paintbrush or coastal plain chaffhead, is a species of North American plant in the family Asteraceae. They are native to the southeastern United States in the States of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
- 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 3 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Florida. NatureServe
- In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in September–November. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 5,281 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #33 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
Coastalplain chaffhead gift ideas
Handmade coastalplain chaffhead 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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Coastalplain chaffhead art print
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Coastalplain chaffhead greeting card
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Coastalplain chaffhead mug
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Coastalplain chaffhead earrings
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Coastalplain chaffhead embroidery pattern
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Coastalplain chaffhead sticker
When does it bloom?
In Florida, most flowering sightings come in September–November.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Florida
- Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: SC (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
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 coastalplain chaffhead in 3 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina.
Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia.
More Florida flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CACO37.
- iNaturalist, Carphephorus corymbosus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Carphephorus corymbosus (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, Carphephorus corymbosus (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Lyn Roueche via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.