Flower profile

Rush skeletonweed

Chondrilla juncea

Rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–October across the U.S.

Not native to Idaho

Rush skeletonweed is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states.

16states where USDA records it

462ID sightings*

2,163U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Idaho

🚫

Regulated invasive plant in Idaho. It's on that state' official invasive plant list (Idaho: Statewide containment noxious weed). Please don't plant or share it there. ^{IDAPA 02.06.09}

Quick look

Chondrilla juncea is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by a number of common names, including rush skeletonweed, gum succory, devil's grass, and nakedweed. The plant is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but it is known throughout most temperate regions of the world as an introduced species which is usually considered a noxious weed.
From Wikipedia's article Chondrilla juncea, 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 introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 16 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as not native to Idaho. ^NatureServe
iNaturalist has 462 research-grade sightings of it in Idaho, ranking #83 among the 143 flowers on our Idaho list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Idaho (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (44 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: GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe
Idaho: No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Idaho.
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), 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 rush skeletonweed in 16 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

Idaho counties with USDA records: Ada, Adams, Benewah, Blaine, Boise, Bonner, Bonneville, Boundary, Butte, Camas, Canyon, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lincoln, Madison, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Shoshone, Twin Falls, Valley, Washington.

Names, range and relatives

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

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 173 counties across 14 states; the most are in Virginia (36), Idaho (32), California (28).

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 Idaho flowers

Arrowleaf balsamroot

Balsamorhiza sagittata

Native

🌼 Blooms in ID: April–June

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in ID: June–August

Yellow salsify

Tragopogon dubius

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in ID: May–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CHJU.
iNaturalist, Chondrilla juncea: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Chondrilla juncea (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Idaho: Idaho noxious weeds (IDAPA 02.06.09, Section 220).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Chondrilla juncea (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Vijay Barve via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.