Bloomipedia
Field madder (Sherardia arvensis)
Photo: Zircon via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Field madder

Sherardia arvensis

Field madder (Sherardia arvensis) is a flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Introduced in the lower 48

Field madder is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 10 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

39states where USDA records it
10Bloomipedia state lists include it
34,078U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas

Quick look

Sherardia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus contains only one species, Sherardia arvensis, the (blue) field madder, which is widespread across most of Europe and northern Africa as well as southwest and central Asia and Macaronesia.

  • It belongs to the Rubiaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 39 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–April. iNaturalist
  • In Tennessee, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–June. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 15,251 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #30 among the 169 flowers on our Texas list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,696 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #28 among the 182 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,122 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #85 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,816 records)
Bloom time in the 10 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
TexasIntroducedFebruary–April15,251
TennesseeIntroducedMarch–June2,696
North CarolinaIntroducedMarch–June2,122
GeorgiaIntroducedMarch–May1,742
AlabamaIntroducedMarch–May1,563
OklahomaIntroducedMarch–June1,129
ArkansasIntroducedMarch–May1,101
LouisianaIntroducedFebruary–April493
South CarolinaIntroducedfew records (46)409
MississippiIntroducedMarch–May344

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
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 4 of our 10 states.
See each state
Texas
Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Texas. 31 TAC 69.8
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Alabama.
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Oklahoma.
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Arkansas.
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: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Louisiana.
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in South Carolina.
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Mississippi.
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?

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 field madder in 39 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Texas counties with USDA records: Bandera, Bowie, Brazos, Dallas, Fayette, Gillespie, Grayson, Grimes, Harris, Hunt, Madison, Matagorda, McLennan, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Polk, Red River, Robertson, Shelby, Travis, Walker, Waller, Washington.

Tennessee counties with USDA records: Anderson, Blount, Coffee, Davidson, Giles, Hardeman, Hardin, Humphreys, Jefferson, Knox, Lincoln, Loudon, Marion, Marshall, Montgomery, Polk, Roane, Rutherford, Sequatchie, Shelby, Stewart, Sumner, Williamson.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Ashe, Avery, Cleveland, Haywood, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, New Hanover, Orange, Transylvania, Wake, Watauga.

Names, range and relatives

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

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 337 counties across 34 states; the most are in Virginia (47), Louisiana (41), Arkansas (35).

More from the Rubiaceae family (18 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Partridgeberry, Buttonbush, Azure bluet, Largeflower Mexican clover, Buttonweed, Tiny bluet, Shiny-leaved wild coffee, Diamond-flowers.

More Texas flowers

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

Buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Native

🌼 Blooms in TX: June–August
Diamond-flowers (Stenaria nigricans)

Diamond-flowers

Stenaria nigricans

Native

🌼 Blooms in TX: April–July
Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)

Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in Texas gardens

Sources