Flower profile
Helmet skullcap
Scutellaria integrifolia
Helmet skullcap is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina
Quick look
Scutellaria integrifolia, commonly called helmet flower or helmet skullcap, is a flowering plant in the mint family. It is native to the eastern United States where it is found in openings in mesic, acidic soil. It likely requires disturbance in the form of fire to maintain its appropriate habitat.
- It belongs to the Lamiaceae 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 23 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana. NatureServe
- In South Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. iNaturalist
- In Mississippi, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 432 research-grade sightings of it in South Carolina, ranking #85 among the 111 flowers on our South Carolina list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 374 research-grade sightings of it in Mississippi, ranking #67 among the 110 flowers on our Mississippi list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 372 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #102 among the 109 flowers on our Louisiana list. iNaturalist
Helmet skullcap gift ideas
Handmade helmet skullcap 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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Helmet skullcap art print
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Helmet skullcap greeting card
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Helmet skullcap mug
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Helmet skullcap earrings
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Helmet skullcap embroidery pattern
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Helmet skullcap sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 3 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | Native | May–June | 432 |
| Mississippi | Native | April–June | 374 |
| Louisiana | Native | April–May | 372 |
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
- South Carolina
- No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
- Mississippi
- No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
- Louisiana
- No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CT (S1), MA (S1), NY (S1), OK (SH). (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 edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 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 helmet skullcap in 23 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
South Carolina counties with USDA records: Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Cherokee, Chesterfield, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Greenwood, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg, York.
Mississippi counties with USDA records: Adams, Amite, Attala, Benton, Calhoun, Clarke, Clay, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Itawamba, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lee, Madison, Marion, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Pontotoc, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Tishomingo, Walthall, Wayne, Winston.
Louisiana counties with USDA records: Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Lafayette, Lincoln, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Carroll, Winn.
More South Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SCIN2.
- iNaturalist, Scutellaria integrifolia: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Scutellaria integrifolia (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
- Mississippi: Mississippi Noxious Weed List (2 Miss. Code R. 1-3-01-136.01).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Scutellaria integrifolia (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Becky Dill via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.