When does White Snakeroot bloom?

White Snakeroot produces clusters of small white flowers from July through September, providing late-season nectar for pollinators.

What pollinators visit Ageratina altissima?

White Snakeroot attracts various pollinators including bees, butterflies, and beetles with its abundant late-summer blooms.

Where is White Snakeroot native?

This perennial forb is native to much of eastern and central North America, from Maine to Florida and west to the Great Plains states including Texas, Kansas, and North Dakota.

What growing conditions does White Snakeroot prefer?

White Snakeroot is highly adaptable, tolerating full sun to partial shade and various moisture levels from wet to dry soils.

Is White Snakeroot HOA-friendly?

White Snakeroot takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

White Snakeroot

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Ageratina altissima

Last reviewed: June 2026

Ageratina altissima (White Snakeroot) is a native perennial forb blooming white flowers from July through September across eastern and central North America. This adaptable wildflower attracts bees, butterflies, and beetles.

White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) — Photo: Vedic Power, Wholeness Simplified / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

24"–60" H × 18"–36" W

Bloom

Jul, Aug, Sep

Native to

AL, AR, CT, DE and 33 more states

Pollinators

bees, butterflies, beetles

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains Edwards Plateau Texas Blackland Prairies Western Gulf Coastal Plain South Central Plains

White snakeroot is a tall native perennial that produces clusters of small white flowers from summer into fall. It grows 2-5 feet tall and spreads naturally through underground rhizomes and self-seeding.

Growing White Snakeroot

Grow White Snakeroot in part sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 24 to 60 inches tall and spread 18 to 36 inches wide. Expect moderate maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

White Snakeroot takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: moderate. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Can spread aggressively and look weedy
All parts are toxic to humans and livestock
May be perceived as wild or uncontrolled

Wildlife value

Host plant for white-lined sphinx moth.

The late-season blooms are valuable for bees, butterflies, and beetles when many other flowers have finished. It serves as a host plant for some moth caterpillars.

Common questions

When does White Snakeroot bloom?: White Snakeroot produces clusters of small white flowers from July through September, providing late-season nectar for pollinators.
What pollinators visit Ageratina altissima?: White Snakeroot attracts various pollinators including bees, butterflies, and beetles with its abundant late-summer blooms.
Where is White Snakeroot native?: This perennial forb is native to much of eastern and central North America, from Maine to Florida and west to the Great Plains states including Texas, Kansas, and North Dakota.
What growing conditions does White Snakeroot prefer?: White Snakeroot is highly adaptable, tolerating full sun to partial shade and various moisture levels from wet to dry soils.
Is White Snakeroot HOA-friendly?: White Snakeroot takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Native range data from the USDA PLANTS Database and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

Does White Snakeroot fit your yard? Open it in Pollinator Patch to check it against your sun, soil, and HOA-conscious filters.

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