Bloomipedia
Wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium)
Photo: Peter Chen 2.0 via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Wild quinine

Parthenium integrifolium

Native to Illinois

Wild quinine is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Illinois it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.

27states
2,603IL sightings*
8,261U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Illinois

Quick look

Parthenium integrifolium is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names wild quinine, common wild quinine, American feverfew, and eastern feverfew. It is native to the eastern and midwestern United States.

  • It belongs to the Asteraceae 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 27 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Illinois. NatureServe
  • In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,603 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #71 among the 109 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist

Wild quinine gift ideas

Handmade wild quinine gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

In Illinois, most flowering sightings come in June–August.

Flowering records by month in Illinois (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (121 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed Not listed under the Endangered Species Act. USFWS ECOS does track it with the label “Species of Concern,” which is informal and gives no legal protection. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MD (S1), MN (S1), PA (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?

For peopleNot well documented

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

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.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records wild quinine in 27 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Bond, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Champaign, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Grundy, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Iroquois, Jackson, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, LaSalle, Lake, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Massac, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Monroe, Montgomery, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago, Woodford.

More Illinois flowers

Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

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🌼 Blooms in IL: May–July
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)

White snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

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🌼 Blooms in IL: July–October
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in IL: June–October

Sources