Flower profile
Indian heliotrope
Heliotropium indicum
Indian heliotrope is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. In Arkansas it's most often seen in bloom in July–October.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arkansas
Quick look
Heliotropium indicum, commonly known as Indian heliotrope or Indian turnsole, is an annual, hirsute plant. It has a curved arrangement of small flowers and velvety broad green leaves.
- It belongs to the Boraginaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 22 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Arkansas. NatureServe
- In Arkansas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–October. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 625 research-grade sightings of it in Arkansas, ranking #82 among the 109 flowers on our Arkansas list. iNaturalist
Indian heliotrope gift ideas
Handmade indian heliotrope 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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Indian heliotrope art print
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Indian heliotrope greeting card
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Indian heliotrope mug
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Indian heliotrope earrings
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Indian heliotrope embroidery pattern
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Indian heliotrope sticker
When does it bloom?
In Arkansas, most flowering sightings come in July–October.
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
- Arkansas
- No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Arkansas.
- 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.
ASPCA's entry “Heliotrope” (Heliotropium spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to horses. Signs include: Horses: liver disease (must be ingested in large amount or over a long time period) Credit: Photo by G.A. Cooper, courtesy of Smithsonian… ASPCA
🌿 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 Indian heliotrope in 22 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia.
Arkansas counties with USDA records: Arkansas, Ashley, Baxter, Benton, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Conway, Craighead, Crittenden, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Garland, Grant, Greene, Hempstead, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Little River, Lonoke, Madison, Marion, Miller, Mississippi, Monroe, Montgomery, Newton, Ouachita, Perry, Pike, Polk, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sebastian, Sevier, Sharp, St. Francis, Washington, White, Woodruff, Yell.
More Arkansas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile HEIN.
- iNaturalist, Heliotropium indicum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Heliotropium indicum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Heliotropium indicum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Gordon C. Snelling via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.