Flower profile
Oriental false hawksbeard
Youngia japonica
Oriental false hawksbeard is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 7 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in January–December.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina
Quick look
Youngia japonica, commonly called Oriental false hawksbeard, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Native to eastern Asia, it is now found as a weed nearly worldwide.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 17 states. USDA PLANTS
- In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. iNaturalist
- In Louisiana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 3,951 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #64 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,152 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #20 among the 109 flowers on our Louisiana list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,022 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #89 among the 111 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
Oriental false hawksbeard gift ideas
Handmade oriental false hawksbeard 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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Oriental false hawksbeard art print
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Oriental false hawksbeard greeting card
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Oriental false hawksbeard mug
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Oriental false hawksbeard earrings
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Oriental false hawksbeard embroidery pattern
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Oriental false hawksbeard sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 7 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Introduced | January–December | 3,951 |
| Louisiana | Introduced | January–December | 1,152 |
| Georgia | Introduced | February–December | 1,022 |
| Alabama | Introduced | February–December | 795 |
| Hawaii | Introduced | January–December | 746 |
| South Carolina | Introduced | January–December | 540 |
| Mississippi | Introduced | January–December | 344 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- Florida
- Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
- 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: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Louisiana.
- Georgia
- Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
- Alabama
- No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Alabama.
- Hawaii
- Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Hawaii. HAR 13-107
- 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: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) 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: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) 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?
NC State Extension notes: “The young leaves can be eaten cooked or raw.” 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 oriental false hawksbeard in 17 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.
Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Baker, Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Columbia, DeSoto, Duval, Escambia, Franklin, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter, Taylor, Volusia, Walton.
Louisiana counties with USDA records: Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Bienville, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, LaSalle, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, West Feliciana, Winn.
Georgia counties with USDA records: Chatham, Clarke, Glynn, Grady, McIntosh, Tift, Ware.
More Florida flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile YOJA.
- iNaturalist, Youngia japonica: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Youngia japonica (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Florida: Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055).
- Florida: Florida Noxious Weed List (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-57.007).
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
- Hawaii: Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
- Hawaii: Hawaii noxious weed list (HAR 4-68).
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
- Mississippi: Mississippi Noxious Weed List (2 Miss. Code R. 1-3-01-136.01).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Youngia japonica (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Grace Merkert via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.