Flower profile
Leafcup
Polymnia canadensis
Leafcup is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Arkansas it's most often seen in bloom in May–September.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arkansas
Quick look
Polymnia canadensis, commonly known as whiteflower leafcup, is a flowering perennial plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to eastern North America from Ontario south to Alabama and from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Minnesota east to North Carolina, Vermont and Connecticut. It is considered endangered in the last three states. It is typically found in moist forests over calcareous rocks.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae 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 23 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Arkansas. NatureServe
- In Arkansas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–September. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 664 research-grade sightings of it in Arkansas, ranking #73 among the 109 flowers on our Arkansas list. iNaturalist
Leafcup gift ideas
Handmade leafcup 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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Leafcup art print
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Leafcup greeting card
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Leafcup mug
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Leafcup earrings
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Leafcup embroidery pattern
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Leafcup sticker
When does it bloom?
In Arkansas, most flowering sightings come in May–September.
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.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CT (S1), KS (S1), NC (S2), 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?
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.
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 leafcup 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, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Arkansas counties with USDA records: Baxter, Benton, Cleburne, Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Garland, Independence, Johnson, Logan, Madison, Marion, Newton, Polk, Pope, Searcy, Stone, Washington.
More Arkansas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile POCA11.
- iNaturalist, Polymnia canadensis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Polymnia canadensis (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, Polymnia canadensis (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Kristi Zoebelein via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.