Flower profile
Rootbeer plant
Senega paniculata
Rootbeer plant is a flowering plant. In Hawaii it's most often seen in bloom in February–December.
*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.
- It belongs to the Polygalaceae family. iNaturalist
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Hawaii. NatureServe
- In Hawaii, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–December. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 738 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #62 among the 105 flowers on our Hawaii list. iNaturalist
Rootbeer plant gift ideas
Handmade rootbeer plant 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.
-
Placeholder
Rootbeer plant art print
-
Placeholder
Rootbeer plant greeting card
-
Placeholder
Rootbeer plant mug
-
Placeholder
Rootbeer plant earrings
-
Placeholder
Rootbeer plant embroidery pattern
-
Placeholder
Rootbeer plant sticker
When does it bloom?
In Hawaii, most flowering sightings come in February–December.
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?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant)) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
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.
More Hawaii flowers
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.