American Bluehearts

Buchnera americana

Found in glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone; glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock; prairies and grasslands; wet meadows; roadsides, fields and disturbed ground. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Florida edition What its natural habitat tells you

19

Modest

Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 88%

Height: Up to about 3 feet
Light: Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to moist

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At a glance

Life cycle: Annual
Bloom: June to September
Fruiting season: August to October

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 65 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 5

Cedar Glade Number 5, Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP, Catoosa County — Limestone cedar glade. Shown: Cedar Glade Number 5, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Catoosa County, Georgia, a neighboring state.Cedar Glade Number 5, Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP, Catoosa County, Alan M. Cressler / U.S. Geological Survey, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Grand Prairie, Coosa Valley Prairies, Floyd County — Limestone prairie. Shown: Grand Prairie, Coosa Valley Prairies, Floyd County, Georgia, a neighboring state.Grand Prairie, Coosa Valley Prairies, Floyd County, Alan M. Cressler / U.S. Geological Survey, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock

Open, thin-soil openings, outcrops and cliffs on dark, magnesium- or iron-rich rock such as serpentine, diabase or gabbro.

Open, wet, grassy or sedgy ground that is not a bog.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Florida. Shared habitat, not food. 110 animals.

Least Bittern
Ixobrychus exilis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Least Tern
Sternula antillarum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Limpkin
Aramus guarauna
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Mottled Duck
Anas fulvigula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Ammodramus nelsoni
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Palm Warbler
Dendroica palmarum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Piping Plover
Charadrius melodus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Prairie Warbler
Dendroica discolor
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Purple Gallinule
Porphyrio martinica
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Purple Martin
Progne subis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red Knot
Calidris canutus
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Florida

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

2CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Buchnera

Junonia coeniaCommon Buckeye
Junonia zonalisCaribbean Buckeye, Tropical Buckeye, Florida Buckeye, Smoky Buckeye

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Orobanchaceae
Flower color: White, pink or purple
Fruit begins: August
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “June to September” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “White, pink or purple” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fruit begins · “August” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Height · “Up to about 3 feet” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Life cycle · “Annual” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Light · “Partial shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Dry; Moist (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia

Also known as

Prairie Blue Hearts

Conservation status

Florida rank	SNR
Global rank	G5?
FL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources