Flower profile

Rootbeer plant

Senega paniculata

Rootbeer plant (Senega paniculata) is a flowering plant in the Polygalaceae family.

Not native to Hawaii

Rootbeer plant is a flowering plant.

–states where USDA records it

738HI sightings*

738U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Hawaii

Quick look

Senega paniculata is a species of flowering plant in the milkwort family (Polygalaceae). It is native to grasslands with altitudes between 350 and 1,700 metres. It is native to Central and South America and has been introduced to East Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. It is an annual herb which has a height between 15 and 50 centimetres It is used as a medicine against snake bites and blenorrhagias.
From Wikipedia's article Senega paniculata, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Polygalaceae family. ^iNaturalist
NatureServe lists it as not native to Hawaii. ^NatureServe
iNaturalist has 738 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #62 among the 118 flowers on our Hawaii list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Hawaii (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (45 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: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
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}
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 peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant)) 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 has no state-by-state distribution for this name, so we can't map it yet.

Names, range and relatives

Other Senega on Bloomipedia (4): Orange milkwort, Candyroot, Yellow bachelor's button, White milkwort.

More from the Polygalaceae family (6 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Fringed polygala, Showy milkwort.

More Hawaii flowers

ʻōhiʻa lehua

Metrosideros polymorpha

Native

🌼 Blooms in HI: May–June

Beach naupaka

Scaevola taccada

Native

🌼 Blooms in HI: May–December

Pūkiawe

Leptecophylla tameiameiae

🌼 Few flowering records in HI

Sources

USDA PLANTS: no profile matched this name.
iNaturalist, Senega paniculata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Senega paniculata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
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).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Senega paniculata (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Lexi Amico via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.