Flower profile

Sweet everlasting

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium

Sweet everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly August–October across the U.S.

Native to Rhode Island

Sweet everlasting is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

35states where USDA records it

188RI sightings*

10,923U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Rhode Island

Quick look

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium, synonyms including Gnaphalium obtusifolium and Pseudognaphalium saxicola, is a member of the family Asteraceae. It is found on open dry sandy habitat throughout eastern North America. Common names include old field balsam, rabbit tobacco, sweet everlasting and life everlasting. When crushed, the plant exudes a characteristic maple-syrup scent.
From Wikipedia's article Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Asteraceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, biennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 35 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Rhode Island. ^NatureServe
iNaturalist has 188 research-grade sightings of it in Rhode Island, ranking #88 among the 164 flowers on our Rhode Island list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (963 records)

There are only a handful of Rhode Island flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

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
Rhode Island: Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Rhode Island. ^{RI rare plants 2016}
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 edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 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 sweet everlasting in 35 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Rhode Island counties with USDA records: Bristol, Newport, Providence, Washington.

Names, range and relatives

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

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1386 counties across 34 states; the most are in Illinois (94), Missouri (93), Virginia (93).

Other Pseudognaphalium on Bloomipedia (1): California cudweed.

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 Rhode Island flowers

Common tansy

Tanacetum vulgare

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in RI: July–September

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records in RI

Bull thistle

Cirsium vulgare

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records in RI

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PSOB3.
iNaturalist, Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Mark Apgar via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.