Flower profile
Green dragon
Arisaema dracontium
Green dragon (Arisaema dracontium) is a flowering plant in the Araceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.
Green dragon is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
Quick look
Arisaema dracontium, the dragon-root, dragon arum, or green dragon, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the genus Arisaema and the family Araceae. It is native to North America from Quebec through Minnesota south through Florida and Texas, where it is found growing in damp woods. It has also been reported from northeastern Mexico It is listed as a vulnerable species in Canada and Minnesota.
- It belongs to the Araceae 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 33 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Arkansas and Louisiana. NatureServe
- In Arkansas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 668 research-grade sightings of it in Arkansas, ranking #74 among the 170 flowers on our Arkansas list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 570 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #55 among the 154 flowers on our Louisiana list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
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: SNR, not yet ranked 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: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DC (S2), DE (S2), MA (S2), NH (S1), VT (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 lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, sap/juice, seeds, stems. Symptoms they list: “Irritation and swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat if it is eaten raw. Handling the fruit pulp or leaf sap may cause mild dermatitis.” They also note: “The root is considered edible once it has been dried, aged and processed. Has been used in herbal medicine.” NC State Extension
NC State Extension flags it as a problem for cats, children, dogs and horses. It isn't on the ASPCA plant list. NC State Extension
🌿 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 green dragon in 33 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, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Arkansas counties with USDA records: Arkansas, Ashley, Benton, Bradley, Carroll, Chicot, Clark, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Columbia, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Crittenden, Cross, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Garland, Grant, Greene, Hempstead, Howard, Independence, Jefferson, Lee, Lincoln, Lonoke, Madison, Marion, Mississippi, Newton, Perry, Poinsett, Polk, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Searcy, Sharp, St. Francis, Stone, Union, Van Buren, Washington, White.
Louisiana counties with USDA records: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Muricauda dracontium.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 979 counties across 31 states; the most are in Illinois (92), Kentucky (71), Indiana (68).
Other Arisaema on Bloomipedia (1): Jack-in-the-pulpit.
More from the Araceae family (7 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Eastern skunk cabbage, Western skunk cabbage, Taro, Golden pothos, Swiss cheese plant, Elephant ear.
More Arkansas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ARDR3.
- iNaturalist, Arisaema dracontium: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Arisaema dracontium (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, Arisaema dracontium (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Samuel A Schmid, PhD, PWS via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.