Flower profile
Chinese violet
Asystasia gangetica
Chinese violet (Asystasia gangetica) is a low shrub in the Acanthaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly January–December across the U.S.
Chinese violet is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. In Hawaii it's most often seen in bloom in January–December.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Hawaii
Quick look
Asystasia gangetica is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is commonly known as the Chinese violet, coromandel or creeping foxglove. In South Africa this plant may simply be called asystasia.
- It belongs to the Acanthaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Hawaii. NatureServe
- In Hawaii, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,399 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #11 among the 118 flowers on our Hawaii list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Hawaii, 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
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- Hawaii
- Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Hawaii. HAR 13-107
- 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.
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 Chinese violet in 2 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Florida, Hawaii.
Hawaii counties with USDA records: Honolulu, Kauai, Maui.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Hawaii: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Introduced; Pacific Basin (excluding Hawaii): Introduced; Puerto Rico: Introduced; U.S. Virgin Islands: Introduced.
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Asystasia coromandeliana, Justicia gangetica.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 13 counties across 3 states; the most are in Florida (9), Hawaii (3), U.S. Minor Outlying Islands (1).
More from the Acanthaceae family (12 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Carolina ruellia, American water-willow, Hairy ruellia, Mexican ruellia, Common wild petunia, Chuparosa, Black mangrove, Thurber's desert honeysuckle.
More Hawaii flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ASGA2.
- iNaturalist, Asystasia gangetica: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Asystasia gangetica (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Hawaii: Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
- Hawaii: Hawaii noxious weed list (HAR 4-68).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Asystasia gangetica (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Skyler Principe via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.