Flower profile

Rose heath

Chaetopappa ericoides

Rose heath (Chaetopappa ericoides) is a low shrub in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.

Native to New Mexico

Rose heath is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In New Mexico it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.

11states where USDA records it

1,086NM sightings*

2,775U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: New Mexico

Quick look

Chaetopappa ericoides is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names rose heath and heath-leaved chaetopappa. It is native to the southwestern and western Great Plains regions of the United States, plus northern Mexico.
From Wikipedia's article Chaetopappa ericoides, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Asteraceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 11 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico. ^NatureServe
In New Mexico, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,086 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #43 among the 152 flowers on our New Mexico list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In New Mexico, most flowering sightings come in April–June.

Flowering records by month in New Mexico (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (81 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
New Mexico: Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. ^{19.21.2.9 NMAC}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NE (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 rose heath in 11 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Wyoming.

New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Catron, Chaves, Cibola, Colfax, Curry, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Guadalupe, Harding, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Quay, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Union, Valencia.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Aster arenosus, Aster ericaefolius, Aster hirtifolius, Aster leucelene, Inula ericoides, Leucelene ericoides.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 246 counties across 11 states; the most are in Texas (69), Kansas (50), New Mexico (32).

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 New Mexico flowers

Rubber rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in NM: September–October

Upright prairie coneflower

Ratibida columnifera

Native

🌼 Blooms in NM: June–August

Blackfoot daisy

Melampodium leucanthum

Native

🌼 Blooms in NM: April–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CHER2.
iNaturalist, Chaetopappa ericoides: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Chaetopappa ericoides (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Chaetopappa ericoides (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Anders Hastings via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.