Flower profile
Wild quinine
Parthenium integrifolium
Wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–August across the U.S.
Wild quinine is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Illinois it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Illinois
Quick look
Parthenium integrifolium is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names wild quinine, common wild quinine, American feverfew, and eastern feverfew. It is native to the eastern and midwestern United States.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae 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 27 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Illinois. NatureServe
- In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,603 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #71 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Illinois, most flowering sightings come in June–August.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed Not listed under the Endangered Species Act. USFWS ECOS does track it with the label “Species of Concern,” which is informal and gives no legal protection. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure 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: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MD (S1), MN (S1), PA (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 wild quinine in 27 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Bond, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Champaign, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Grundy, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Iroquois, Jackson, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, LaSalle, Lake, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Massac, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Monroe, Montgomery, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago, Woodford.
Names, range and relatives
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 446 counties across 20 states; the most are in Missouri (86), Illinois (72), Virginia (68).
Other Parthenium on Bloomipedia (2): Santa Maria feverfew, Mariola.
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 Illinois flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PAIN3.
- iNaturalist, Parthenium integrifolium: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Parthenium integrifolium (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Illinois: Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist.
- Illinois: Illinois Official List of Exotic Weeds (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1100.30, Illinois Exotic Weed Act).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Parthenium integrifolium (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Peter Chen 2.0 via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.