Osceola’s Plume is a blooming plant that grows along the panhandle and
northern and central Florida areas. The flowers of this plant are white and turn pink and purple as the blooms age. The flowers grow in 40-100 bloom bunches at the end of a primarily leafless 1-3ft stem. From the base of the plant, needle-like leaves can be anywhere from 4-20in.
Osceola’s Plume is dormant during the winter and tends to reappear after fire, often growing in large colonies in the flames’ wake. Despite their love of fire, these plants grow best in moist areas such as bogs, savannahs, flatlands, and marshes. They drop brown seed pods and are a favorite of local pollinators.
Crowpoison, the other common name of Osceola’s Plume, is a member of the Bunchflower family and a group called the Deathcamas, of which it is the most toxic. The alkaloids in the plant’s foliage cause its poisonous nature and can be deadly to humans. Osceola’s Plume is a beautiful sight to behold, but don’t let any pets or small children get close.
Photo Credit: Lynn Marie
Author: Sarina Pennington, IOF Volunteer 
