Flower profile
Roundleaf bluet
Houstonia procumbens
Roundleaf bluet is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Florida it's most often seen in bloom in January–December.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Florida
Quick look
Houstonia procumbens, the roundleaf bluet, is a perennial species in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. Its native habitats include disturbed sites, and moist, open, sandy areas. Flowers bloom March to October.
- It belongs to the Rubiaceae 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 6 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Florida. NatureServe
- In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 3,072 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #99 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
Roundleaf bluet gift ideas
Handmade roundleaf bluet 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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Roundleaf bluet art print
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Roundleaf bluet greeting card
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Roundleaf bluet mug
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Roundleaf bluet earrings
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Roundleaf bluet embroidery pattern
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Roundleaf bluet sticker
When does it bloom?
In Florida, most flowering sightings come in January–December.
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
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: LA (S2), NC (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 roundleaf bluet in 6 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina.
Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton.
More Florida flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile HOPR.
- iNaturalist, Houstonia procumbens: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Houstonia procumbens (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, Houstonia procumbens (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: jonsense via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.