Flower profile
Common dittany
Cunila origanoides
Common dittany is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Arkansas it's most often seen in bloom in September–October.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arkansas
Quick look
Cunila origanoides, with the common names stone mint, frost mint, dittany, and American dittany, is a perennial late-summer-flowering subshrub with small purple flowers that is native to the central and eastern United States. It belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is the only species in the genus Cunila native to the United States. It grows in habitats such as dry forests and the thin soil around rock outcrops.
- It belongs to the Lamiaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 23 states. USDA PLANTS
- In Arkansas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in September–October. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 716 research-grade sightings of it in Arkansas, ranking #61 among the 109 flowers on our Arkansas list. iNaturalist
Common dittany gift ideas
Handmade common dittany 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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Common dittany art print
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Common dittany greeting card
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Common dittany mug
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Common dittany earrings
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Common dittany embroidery pattern
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Common dittany sticker
When does it bloom?
In Arkansas, most flowering sightings come in September–October.
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
- Arkansas
- No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe has no Arkansas rank for it.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DE (S2), KS (S1), MS (S1), SC (S2). (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?
NC State Extension notes: “Used in teas and folk medicine remedies” NC State Extension
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 common dittany in 23 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
Arkansas counties with USDA records: Baxter, Benton, Bradley, Carroll, Clark, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Columbia, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Cross, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Logan, Lonoke, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Nevada, Newton, Pike, Poinsett, Polk, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sevier, Sharp, St. Francis, Stone, Van Buren, Washington, White, Yell.
More Arkansas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CUOR.
- iNaturalist, Cunila origanoides: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Cunila origanoides (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Cunila origanoides (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: hr_dragonfly via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.