Flower profile

Oppositeleaf spotflower

Acmella repens

Oppositeleaf spotflower (Acmella repens) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly September–November across the U.S.

Native to Louisiana

Oppositeleaf spotflower is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Louisiana it's most often seen in bloom in September–November.

12states where USDA records it

862LA sightings*

2,740U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Louisiana

Quick look

Acmella repens is a North American species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The plant is native to the southeastern and south-central United States, primarily in the coastal plain from Texas to North Carolina and in the lower Mississippi Valley from Missouri to Louisiana. There are additional populations in Coahuila in northeastern Mexico.
From Wikipedia's article Acmella repens, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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 12 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Louisiana. ^NatureServe
In Louisiana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in September–November. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as green. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late summer. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 0.7 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 862 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #39 among the 154 flowers on our Louisiana list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Louisiana, most flowering sightings come in September–November.

Flowering records by month in Louisiana (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (63 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: T5 See NatureServe for what T5 means. ^NatureServe
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: NC (S1), OK (S1), TN (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?

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 oppositeleaf spotflower in 12 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas.

Louisiana counties with USDA records: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Oppositeleaf spotflower a high shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.0 to 7.5 and winter lows down to -3 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: Low
Moisture use: Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to: medium, fine
Soil pH range: 5.0 to 7.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -3 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 200
Annual precipitation range: 30 to 50 inches
Minimum root depth: 6 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Rapid
Lifespan: Long
Active growth period: Summer
Fruit or seed: Black · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by: sprigs
Commercial availability: No Known Source

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for ACOPR. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 190 counties across 11 states; the most are in Louisiana (61), Florida (39), Texas (29).

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

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White beggarticks

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Introduced

🌼 Blooms in LA: April–October

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ACOPR.
iNaturalist, Acmella repens: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Acmella repens (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Acmella repens (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Loren Cassin Sackett via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.