Bloomipedia
Culver's root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
Photo: Dmitry Mozzherin via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Culver's root

Veronicastrum virginicum

Culver's root (Veronicastrum virginicum) is a flowering plant in the Plantaginaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–August across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Culver's root 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 July–August.

35states where USDA records it
4Bloomipedia state lists include it
10,695U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin

Quick look

Veronicastrum virginicum, or Culver's root, is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. It is native to the eastern United States and south-eastern Canada. Growing to 200 cm (79 in) tall by 45 cm (18 in) broad, it is an erect herbaceous perennial with slender racemes of white or occasionally pink or purple flowers in summer.

  • It belongs to the Plantaginaceae 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 35 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. NatureServe
  • In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • In Wisconsin, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–August. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,739 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #60 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,207 research-grade sightings of it in Wisconsin, ranking #62 among the 161 flowers on our Wisconsin list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,430 research-grade sightings of it in Minnesota, ranking #100 among the 152 flowers on our Minnesota list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (781 records)
Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
IllinoisNativeJune–August2,739
WisconsinNativeJuly–August2,207
MinnesotaNativeJuly–August1,430
IowaNativeJuly–August384

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 4 of our 4 states.
See each state
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
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. NR 27.03
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. Minn. R. 6134.0300
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Iowa. IAC 571-77.3
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AL (S1), DC (S1), DE (S1), LA (SH), MA (S2), MS (S1), NC (S2), ND (SH), NE (S1), NY (S2), OK (S1), SC (S1), SD (S1), VT (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 culver's root in 35 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, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Alexander, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Massac, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Washington, Wayne, White, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago, Woodford.

Wisconsin counties with USDA records: Adams, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Outagamie, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood.

Minnesota counties with USDA records: Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Benton, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cass, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lake, Lincoln, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Rice, Rock, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Todd, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Winona, Wright.

Names, range and relatives

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

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Leptandra virginica, Veronica virginica.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 746 counties across 34 states; the most are in Illinois (96), Missouri (80), Ohio (66).

More from the Plantaginaceae family (29 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Bird's-eye speedwell, Butter-and-eggs (common toadflax), Purple foxglove, White turtlehead, Foxglove beardtongue, Heath speedwell, Canada toadflax, Texas toadflax.

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Prairie trillium (Trillium recurvatum)

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Sources