Bloomipedia
Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti)
Photo: Summit Metro Parks via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Velvetleaf

Abutilon theophrasti

Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) is a flowering plant in the Malvaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–September across the U.S.

Introduced in the lower 48

Velvetleaf is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 5 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–September.

48states where USDA records it
5Bloomipedia state lists include it
17,019U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska

🚫
Regulated invasive plant in Iowa. It's on that state' official invasive plant list (Iowa: Secondary noxious weed). Please don't plant or share it there. Iowa Code § 317.1A

Quick look

Abutilon theophrasti, also known as velvetleaf, velvet plant, velvetweed and the Chinese jute, is an annual plant in the family Malvaceae that is native to Central and East Asia. It is the type species of the genus Abutilon. Its specific epithet, theophrasti, commemorates the ancient Greek botanist-philosopher Theophrastus.

  • It belongs to the Malvaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 48 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as not native to Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. NatureServe
  • In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,116 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #90 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 833 research-grade sightings of it in Indiana, ranking #92 among the 173 flowers on our Indiana list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 643 research-grade sightings of it in Iowa, ranking #43 among the 147 flowers on our Iowa list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (467 records)
Bloom time in the 5 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
IllinoisIntroducedJuly–September2,116
IndianaIntroducedfew records (20)833
IowaIntroducedfew records (11)643
KansasIntroducedfew records (3)423
NebraskaIntroducedfew records (16)346

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
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Indiana.
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Iowa. IAC 571-77.3
Kansas
No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Kansas.
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
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 velvetleaf in 48 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Alexander, Bond, Boone, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clinton, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lawrence, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Massac, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Saline, Sangamon, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stephenson, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Washington, Wayne, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago, Woodford.

Indiana counties with USDA records: Adams, Allen, Blackford, Carroll, Clinton, Delaware, Fayette, Fountain, Gibson, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Huntington, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Lake, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Noble, Parke, Perry, Putnam, Rush, Shelby, Spencer, St. Joseph, Sullivan, Switzerland, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Vanderburgh, Vigo, Warren, Wayne, Wells, White.

Iowa counties with USDA records: Guthrie, Harrison, Mills, Taylor, Winneshiek, Woodbury.

Names, range and relatives

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

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Abutilon abutilon, Abutilon avicennae.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 913 counties across 47 states; the most are in Missouri (97), Illinois (87), Ohio (67).

Other Abutilon on Bloomipedia (1): Hairy abutilon.

More from the Malvaceae family (29 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Turk's cap, Common hibiscus, Swamp rose mallow, Dwarf mallow, Apricot globemallow, Checkerbloom, Scarlet globemallow, Bristly mallow.

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Sources