Bloomipedia
Climbing hempvine (Mikania scandens)
Photo: jfox16 via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Climbing hempvine

Mikania scandens

Climbing hempvine (Mikania scandens) is a vine in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly August–October across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Climbing hempvine is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native 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 August–October.

28states where USDA records it
4Bloomipedia state lists include it
14,850U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi

Quick look

Mikania scandens is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Its common names include climbing hempvine, climbing hempweed, and louse-plaster. It is native to the eastern and central United States, with its distribution extending into Tamaulipas, Mexico. Reports of its presence in Ontario, Canada are erroneous.

  • It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 28 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. NatureServe
  • In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in September–October. iNaturalist
  • In Louisiana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in September–October. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as summer. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 1 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 3,257 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #91 among the 151 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,092 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #23 among the 154 flowers on our Louisiana list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 649 research-grade sightings of it in Alabama, ranking #98 among the 167 flowers on our Alabama list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,421 records)
Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
FloridaNativeSeptember–October3,257
LouisianaNativeSeptember–October1,092
AlabamaNativeAugust–October649
MississippiNativeAugust–October424

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
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: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
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: IN (S1), ME (SH), MI (S1), NH (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 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 climbing hempvine in 28 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia; District of Columbia.

Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Bay, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, Washington.

Louisiana counties with USDA records: Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn.

Alabama counties with USDA records: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Escambia, Hale, Henry, Lamar, Lawrence, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, St. Clair, Tuscaloosa, Washington, Wilcox, Winston.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Climbing hempvine a low shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.7 to 8.7 and winter lows down to -38 °F.

Shade tolerance
Low
Drought tolerance
Low
Moisture use
Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to
medium, fine
Soil pH range
5.7 to 8.7
Minimum temperature tolerated
-38 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
110
Annual precipitation range
30 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth
16 inches
Salinity tolerance
Low
Fertility requirement
Medium
Growth rate
Rapid
Lifespan
Moderate
Active growth period
Summer
Fruit or seed
Blue · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for MISC. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Mikania angulosa, Willoughbya heterophylla.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 644 counties across 27 states; the most are in Mississippi (67), North Carolina (67), Texas (65).

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

More Florida flowers

White beggarticks (Bidens alba)

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Trailing daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata)

Trailing daisy

Sphagneticola trilobata

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in FL: June–November
Bristle thistle (Cirsium horridulum)

Bristle thistle

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🌼 Blooms in FL: March–April

Sources