Bloomipedia
Yellow crownbeard (Verbesina occidentalis)
Photo: adam busey via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Yellow crownbeard

Verbesina occidentalis

Yellow crownbeard (Verbesina occidentalis) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly September–October across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Yellow crownbeard is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in September–October.

19states where USDA records it
4Bloomipedia state lists include it
10,076U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia

Quick look

Verbesina occidentalis, commonly called yellow crownbeard and stick weed, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. V. occidentalis is often considered a weedy plant of disturbed areas, due to its presence in managed agricultural areas such as hayfields.

  • 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 19 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and South Carolina. NatureServe
  • In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in September–October. iNaturalist
  • In Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–October. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,935 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #56 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,772 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #63 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,038 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #92 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (759 records)
Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
North CarolinaNativeSeptember–October2,935
VirginiaNativeAugust–October2,772
GeorgiaNativeSeptember–October1,038
South CarolinaNativefew records (37)660

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
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: FL (S2), IN (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?

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 yellow crownbeard in 19 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Avery, Bertie, Bladen, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Chowan, Cleveland, Dare, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Gaston, Gates, Granville, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Lee, Martin, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Person, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Transylvania, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin.

Virginia counties with USDA records: Accomack, Albemarle, Alleghany, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Augusta, Bedford, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buchanan, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Carroll, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesapeake , Chesterfield, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Essex, Fairfax, Fauquier, Floyd, Fluvanna, Franklin, Giles, Gloucester, Goochland, Greensville, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, Henry, Isle of Wight, James City, King George, King William, King and Queen, Lancaster, Lee, Loudoun, Louisa, Lunenburg, Mathews, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Montgomery, Nelson, New Kent, Newport News , Northampton, Northumberland, Nottoway, Page, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Richmond, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Southampton, Stafford, Suffolk , Surry, Sussex, Virginia Beach , Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, Wise, Wythe, York.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Bartow, Chatham, Cherokee, Clarke, Columbia, Dougherty, Elbert, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Harris, Lincoln, McIntosh, Murray, Seminole, Stephens, Walker.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Phaethusa occidentalis.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 294 counties across 13 states; the most are in Virginia (87), North Carolina (61), Kentucky (37).

Other Verbesina on Bloomipedia (3): Wingstem, Frostweed, Cowpen daisy.

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.

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Sources