Stiff Cowbane

Oxypolis rigidior

Found in bogs, seepages, swamps, wet meadows, streambanks. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

23

Good

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

Profile 94%

Height: 2–5 feet
Light: Partial shade, Full shade, Full sun
Soil moisture: Wet to standing water

Will it fit your yard?

Oxypolis rigidior — bloom photograph — Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA SCS. 1989. Midwest wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. Midwest National Technical Center, Lincoln. Courtesy of USDA NRCS Wetland Science Institute. · Public domain · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: August to October
Fruiting season: October to November

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 9 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 4

Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp — Regional / representative. Shown: Southern coastal swamps, Florida to Virginia; state not identified, a neighboring state.Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

Seeps and springs

Places where groundwater keeps the soil or rock wet, such as seepage slopes and spring runs.

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

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

2CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Oxypolis

Papilio polyxenesBlack Swallowtail
Depressaria cinereocostella

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

Beetles 8

Centrinus picumnus
Coccinella sanguinea
Corticaria distinguenda
Diabrotica 12-punctata
Epicauta cinerea
Epicauta pennsylvanica
Luperaltica fuscula
Mordella melaena

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Flies 26

Agromyza latipes
Belvosia unifasciata
Cistogaster occidua
Euaresta bella
Exorista confinis
Gymnosoma fuliginosa
Helicobia 4-setosa
Hippelates plebejus
Hippelates pusio
Leucopis nigricornis

Show all 26

Limnophora narona
Lucilia sericata
Lucilia sylvarum
Morellia micans
Musca domestica
Ochthera lauta
Phorantha purpurascens
Sarcophaga assidua
Sciara atrata
Senotainia trilineata
Siphonella cinerea
Spallanzania hesperidarum
Spilomyia longicornis
Syrphus ribesii
Trichopoda pennipes
Zodion nanellum

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Adult butterflies / moths 1

Limochores taumas

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Other wasps 30

Astatus unicolor
Bruchophagus funebris
Cerceris clypeata
Chalybion caeruleum
Chelonus sericeus
Chlorion caeruleum
Cryptocheilus fulgifrons
Eutrichosoma mirabilis
Iphiaulax rugator
Isodontia apicalis

Show all 30

Leionotus fundatus
Lindenius errans
Lyroda subita
Macrodyctium apicatus
Microplitis croceipes
Microplitis gortynae
Opius fuscipennis
Oxybelus 4-notatus
Perilampus fulvicornis
Polistes rubiginosus
Polistes variatus
Priononyx atrata
Psammochares relativus
Pseudoplisus phaleratus
Stizus unicinctus
Tachysphex belfragei
Tiphia clypeata
Tiphia transversa
Toxoneuron abdominale
Urosigalphus femoratus

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Other insects 2

Lygus pratensis
Plagiognathus obscurus

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

No records yet · Ants

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Apiaceae
Flower color: White or pink
Fruit begins: October
Fruit ends: November

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “August to October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “White or pink” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fruit begins · “October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “November” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Height · “2–5 feet” · Minnesota Wildflowers
Life cycle · “Perennial” · Minnesota Wildflowers
Light · “Partial shade; Full shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Water; Wet (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia

Conservation status

Florida rank	S3
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