Flower profile

Orange milkwort

Senega lutea

Orange milkwort is a flowering plant. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–July.

–states

4of our state lists

11,261U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina

Quick look

Senega lutea, commonly known as orange- or yellow milkwort, is a small herbaceous plant in the milkwort family (Polygonaceae) native to pine-barren depressions and swamps in coastal areas of the southern and eastern the United States. Other common names include bachelor's buttons, red-hot poker, candy weed, and bog Cheetos.
From Wikipedia's article Senega lutea, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Polygalaceae family. ^iNaturalist
NatureServe lists it as native to Florida, South Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. ^NatureServe
In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–May. ^iNaturalist
In South Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–August. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 5,743 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #28 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 791 research-grade sightings of it in South Carolina, ranking #34 among the 111 flowers on our South Carolina list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 751 research-grade sightings of it in Alabama, ranking #73 among the 111 flowers on our Alabama list. ^iNaturalist

Orange milkwort gift ideas

Handmade orange milkwort 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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Orange milkwort art print
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Orange milkwort greeting card
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Orange milkwort mug
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Orange milkwort earrings
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Orange milkwort embroidery pattern
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Orange milkwort sticker
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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,866 records)

Bloom time in each of our 4 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Florida	Native	January–May	5,743
South Carolina	Native	March–August	791
Alabama	Native	March–October	751
Mississippi	Native	March–July	632

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: S4, apparently secure in Florida. ^{FAC 5B-40.0055}
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.
Alabama: No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
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.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NY (S1), PA (SX). (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?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page)) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

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.