Flower profile

Rattlesnakeweed

Hieracium venosum

Rattlesnakeweed (Hieracium venosum) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Rattlesnakeweed is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.

25states where USDA records it

3Bloomipedia state lists include it

11,030U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Georgia, Maryland, Virginia

Quick look

Hieracium venosum is a species of hawkweed in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae. It is widespread and common in south-central Canada (Ontario) and the eastern United States. Its common name comes from the fact that environments it is found in are typically also a home to rattlesnakes.
From Wikipedia's article Hieracium venosum, 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 25 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Virginia, Maryland and Georgia. ^NatureServe
In Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
In Maryland, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,576 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #68 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,479 research-grade sightings of it in Maryland, ranking #91 among the 189 flowers on our Maryland list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,132 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #80 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (508 records)

Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Virginia	Native	April–May	2,576
Maryland	Native	May–June	1,479
Georgia	Native	few records (43)	1,132

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
Virginia: Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. ^2VAC5-320-10
Maryland: Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. ^{COMAR 08.03.08}
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}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: ME (S1), MS (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?

For peopleNot well documented

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}

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 rattlesnakeweed in 25 states plus Washington, D.C.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.

Virginia counties with USDA records: Accomack, Albemarle, Alleghany, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Arlington, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Carroll, Charlotte, Chesapeake , Chesterfield, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Essex, Fairfax, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Gloucester, Goochland, Grayson, Greene, Greensville, Halifax, Hampton , Hanover, Henrico, Henry, Highland, Isle of Wight, James City, King George, King William, King and Queen, Lancaster, Loudoun, Lunenburg, Madison, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Montgomery, Nelson, New Kent, Newport News , Northampton, Northumberland, Nottoway, Orange, Page, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Prince William, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Richmond, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Southampton, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Surry, Tazewell, Virginia Beach , Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, Wythe, York.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Banks, Bartow, Bibb, Carroll, Cherokee, Clarke, Cobb, Columbia, Dawson, DeKalb, Elbert, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Gilmer, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Harris, Hart, Lincoln, Madison, Meriwether, Morgan, Murray, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Rabun, Randolph, Spalding, Talbot, Telfair, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, White.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 547 counties across 22 states; the most are in Virginia (90), North Carolina (62), Pennsylvania (60).

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.

More Virginia flowers

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in VA: June–October

Wingstem

Verbesina alternifolia

Native

🌼 Blooms in VA: August–October

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in VA: May–August

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile HIVE.
iNaturalist, Hieracium venosum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Hieracium venosum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Hieracium venosum (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: adam busey via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.