Flower profile
Northern green-and-gold
Chrysogonum virginianum
Northern green-and-gold is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In North Carolina it's most often seen in bloom in March–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: North Carolina
Quick look
Chrysogonum virginianum, the golden-knee, green and gold, or goldenstar, is a North American species of plants in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the eastern United States from New York State and Rhode Island south to Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle.
- 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 15 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to North Carolina. NatureServe
- In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–June. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,185 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #79 among the 111 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
Northern green-and-gold gift ideas
Handmade northern green-and-gold 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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Northern green-and-gold art print
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Northern green-and-gold greeting card
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Northern green-and-gold mug
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Northern green-and-gold earrings
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Northern green-and-gold embroidery pattern
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Northern green-and-gold sticker
When does it bloom?
In North Carolina, most flowering sightings come in March–June.
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
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: PA (S1), SC (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 edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
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 Northern green-and-gold in 15 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Anson, Bladen, Brunswick, Burke, Cabarrus, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cumberland, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Granville, Guilford, Harnett, Iredell, Johnston, Lee, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Orange, Person, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Transylvania, Vance, Wake, Wayne, Wilkes, Wilson.
More North Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CHVI5.
- iNaturalist, Chrysogonum virginianum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Chrysogonum virginianum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Chrysogonum virginianum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Michael J. Papay via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.