Flower profile
Virginia meadowbeauty
Rhexia virginica
Virginia meadowbeauty (Rhexia virginica) is a flowering plant in the Melastomataceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–September across the U.S.
Virginia meadowbeauty is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Rhode Island
Quick look
Rhexia virginica, the handsome Harry or Virginia meadow-beauty, is a species of flowering plant in the family Melastomataceae. It is native to much of eastern North America, and is often found in moist, often acidic soils in open areas.
- It belongs to the Melastomataceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 32 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Rhode Island. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 236 research-grade sightings of it in Rhode Island, ranking #69 among the 164 flowers on our Rhode Island list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
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
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: IA (S1), VT (S1). (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 edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
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 Virginia meadowbeauty in 32 states plus Washington, D.C.
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, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, 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: Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Rhexia stricta.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 571 counties across 30 states; the most are in Virginia (70), Tennessee (46), Alabama (40).
Other Rhexia on Bloomipedia (2): Maryland meadowbeauty, Savannah meadowbeauty.
More from the Melastomataceae family (6 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Koster's curse, Pinkfringe, Spanish shawl, Glory bush.
More Rhode Island flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile RHVI.
- iNaturalist, Rhexia virginica: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Rhexia virginica (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, Rhexia virginica (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Clay Gibbons via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.