American Bluehearts

Buchnera americana

In the Carolinas and Georgia, 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), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

15

Modest

Native to Louisiana (estimated). 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

JFMAMJJASOND

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 28 Louisiana parishes.

Natural habitats

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

1 of 5

Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone

Open, thin-soil openings and rock on limestone, dolomite or other lime-rich rock, including cedar glades.

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.

Prairies and grasslands

Open, grass-dominated places kept open by fire, grazing or thin soil, from tallgrass prairie to Piedmont prairies.

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 Louisiana. Shared habitat, not food. 140 animals.

American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Black-crowned Night-heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Brewer's Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Mottled Duck
Anas fulvigula
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Palm Warbler
Dendroica palmarum
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Prairie Warbler
Dendroica discolor
Birds. 2 shared habitats

All wildlife of Louisiana

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

1CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · Buchnera

Junonia coeniaCommon 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

Louisiana rank	SNR
Global rank	G5?
LA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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