Bloomipedia
Tarflower (Bejaria racemosa)
Photo: Bailey Duncan via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Tarflower

Bejaria racemosa

Tarflower (Bejaria racemosa) is a shrub in the Ericaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–June across the U.S.

Native to Florida

Tarflower is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Florida it's most often seen in bloom in May–June.

4states where USDA records it
4,077FL sightings*
4,152U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Florida

Quick look

Bejaria racemosa, commonly known as tarflower, is a woody shrub with a fragrant flower found in the southeastern US states of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. It grows on flatlands in groups. Insects become trapped on its flowers due to the sticky secretions found there.

  • It belongs to the Ericaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Florida. NatureServe
  • In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 4,077 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #62 among the 151 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Florida, most flowering sightings come in May–June.

Flowering records by month in Florida (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (783 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
Florida
Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S5, secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AL (SH). (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 tarflower in 4 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina.

Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Baker, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Taylor, Union, Volusia.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Befaria racemosa.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 46 counties across 2 states; the most are in Florida (41), Georgia (5).

More from the Ericaceae family (55 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Ghost pipe, Rhododendrons and azaleas, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Salal, Woodland pinedrops, Pinesap.

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Coastal plain staggerbush (Lyonia fruticosa)

Coastal plain staggerbush

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Sources