Flower profile

Scarlet pimpernel

Lysimachia arvensis

Introduced in the lower 48

Scarlet pimpernel is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–July.

47states

4of our state lists

43,372U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Delaware, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Texas

Quick look

Lysimachia arvensis, syn. Anagallis arvensis, commonly known as scarlet pimpernel, red pimpernel, red chickweed, poor man's barometer, poor man's weather-glass, shepherd's weather glass or shepherd's clock, is a species of low-growing annual plant with brightly coloured flowers, most often scarlet but also bright blue and sometimes pink. The native range of the species is Europe and Western Asia and North Africa.
From Wikipedia's article Lysimachia arvensis, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Primulaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, biennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 47 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as not native to Louisiana, Rhode Island and Delaware. ^NatureServe
In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. ^iNaturalist
In Louisiana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–May. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 6,781 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #97 among the 109 flowers on our Texas list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 387 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #97 among the 109 flowers on our Louisiana list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 183 research-grade sightings of it in Rhode Island, ranking #89 among the 110 flowers on our Rhode Island list. ^iNaturalist

Scarlet pimpernel gift ideas

Handmade scarlet pimpernel 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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Scarlet pimpernel art print
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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (6,636 records)

Bloom time in each of our 4 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Texas	–	March–May	6,781
Louisiana	Introduced	February–May	387
Rhode Island	Introduced	June–October	183
Delaware	Introduced	June–July	140

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe
Texas: Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe has no Texas rank for it. ^{31 TAC 69.8}
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: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Louisiana.
Rhode Island: Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Rhode Island. ^{RI rare plants 2016}
Delaware: Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Delaware. ^{DE rare plants 2024}
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?

For peopleNot well documented

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.

For petsNot well documented

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 scarlet pimpernel in 47 states plus Washington, D.C.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Texas counties with USDA records: Angelina, Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Bexar, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Burnet, Calhoun, Cameron, Colorado, Dallas, Denton, Dimmit, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Grayson, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Lampasas, Lavaca, Liberty, Live Oak, Madison, Mason, McLennan, Medina, Montgomery, Nueces, Polk, Refugio, Robertson, San Jacinto, Tarrant, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Washington, Webb, Wharton, Zapata.

Louisiana counties with USDA records: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Bienville, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, Grant, Iberia, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Rapides, Sabine, St. Charles, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Union, Vernon, Winn.

Rhode Island counties with USDA records: Bristol, Newport, Providence.

More Texas flowers

Northern starflower

Lysimachia borealis

Native

🌼 Blooms: May–June

Whorled loosestrife

Lysimachia quadrifolia

Native

🌼 Blooms: May–July

Coralberry

Ardisia crenata

Introduced

🌼 Blooms: May–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ANAR.
iNaturalist, Lysimachia arvensis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Lysimachia arvensis (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Texas: Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Texas: Texas noxious and invasive plant list (4 Tex. Admin. Code § 19.300(a)).
Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
Delaware: Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list).
Delaware: Delaware Invasive Plant List (3 Del. Admin. Code § 806-3.0).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Lysimachia arvensis (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Tristan A. McKnight via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.