Bloomipedia
Little brown jugs (Asarum arifolium)
Photo: Niki Robertson via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Little brown jugs

Asarum arifolium

Little brown jugs (Asarum arifolium) is a flowering plant in the Aristolochiaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Little brown jugs is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 6 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

9states where USDA records it
6Bloomipedia state lists include it
17,649U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee

Quick look

Asarum arifolia is a perennial wildflower in the family Aristolochiaceae found in the southeastern United States, from Louisiana to Virginia, inland as far as Kentucky. It is considered a threatened species in Florida. The appearance of the flowers of Asarum arifolia, growing near the ground at the base of the plant, give it the common name "little brown jug."

  • It belongs to the Aristolochiaceae 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 9 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and Mississippi. NatureServe
  • In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. iNaturalist
  • In Georgia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 6,430 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #8 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,697 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #3 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,948 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #19 among the 182 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (937 records)
Bloom time in the 6 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
North CarolinaNativeMarch–May6,430
GeorgiaNativeMarch–May3,697
TennesseeNativeApril–May2,948
AlabamaNativeMarch–May1,960
South CarolinaNativeMarch–May1,527
MississippiNativeFebruary–April318

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
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure 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: S5, secure in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: S5, secure in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
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: S5, secure 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: SNR, not yet ranked 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 peoplePoisonous to people

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: medium). Poisonous parts: leaves, roots. Symptoms they list: “Aristolochic acid is nephrotoxic and a carcinogen.” 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 little brown jugs in 9 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bryan, Bulloch, Carroll, Charlton, Chatham, Cherokee, Clarke, Clay, Cobb, Columbia, Dade, Elbert, Floyd, Fulton, Gilmer, Hall, Haralson, Harris, Henry, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Monroe, Morgan, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Putnam, Screven, Spalding, Talbot, Terrell, Union, Upson, Walker, White, Whitfield, Wilkes, Worth.

Tennessee counties with USDA records: Cumberland, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Knox, Marion, Putnam, Roane, Sevier.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 71 counties across 5 states; the most are in Georgia (44), Tennessee (12), Florida (11).

Other Asarum on Bloomipedia (4): Western wild ginger, Reflexed wild ginger, Little heartleaf, Variable-leaf heartleaf.

More from the Aristolochiaceae family (5 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Southwestern pipevine.

More North Carolina flowers

Little heartleaf (Asarum minus)

Little heartleaf

Asarum minus

🌼 Blooms in NC: March–May
Crane-fly orchid (Tipularia discolor)

Crane-fly orchid

Tipularia discolor

Native

🌼 Blooms in NC: July–August
American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in NC: June–September

Sources