Flower profile
Rust weed
Polypremum procumbens
Rust weed is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–September.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Florida, Mississippi
Quick look
Polypremum is a flowering plant genus in the family Tetrachondraceae. The genus contains the single species Polypremum procumbens, commonly known as juniperleaf or rustweed. Polypremum has also been placed in the various families Buddlejaceae, Loganiaceae, Rubiaceae, and most recently in its own Polypremaceae.
- It belongs to the Tetrachondraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 21 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Florida and Mississippi. NatureServe
- In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–October. iNaturalist
- In Mississippi, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–September. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 3,203 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #92 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 269 research-grade sightings of it in Mississippi, ranking #103 among the 110 flowers on our Mississippi list. iNaturalist
Rust weed gift ideas
Handmade rust weed 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.
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Rust weed art print
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Rust weed greeting card
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Rust weed mug
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Rust weed earrings
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Rust weed embroidery pattern
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Rust weed sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 2 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Native | May–October | 3,203 |
| Mississippi | Native | May–September | 269 |
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
- Florida
- Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S5, secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
- Mississippi
- No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: IL (SX), NJ (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?
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.
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 rust weed in 21 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia; District of Columbia.
Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton.
Mississippi counties with USDA records: Alcorn, Amite, Attala, Copiah, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Itawamba, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lee, Leflore, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Perry, Pike, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Tate, Tishomingo, Union, Walthall, Wilkinson, Yalobusha, Yazoo.
More Florida flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile POPR4.
- iNaturalist, Polypremum procumbens: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Polypremum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Florida: Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055).
- Florida: Florida Noxious Weed List (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-57.007).
- Mississippi: Mississippi Noxious Weed List (2 Miss. Code R. 1-3-01-136.01).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Polypremum procumbens (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Ryan Watson via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.