Flower profile

Pinesap

Monotropa hypopitys

Native in the lower 48

Pinesap is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 5 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–September.

45states

5of our state lists

19,292U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Washington

Quick look

Monotropa hypopitys, syn. Hypopitys monotropa, also known as yellow bird's nest in Britain and Ireland, pinesap and false beechdrops in Canada and the United States, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Monotropoideae subfamily of the family Ericaceae. It is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is scarce within its range. M.
From Wikipedia's article Monotropa hypopitys, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Ericaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 45 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Washington, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and Rhode Island. ^NatureServe
In Washington, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–August. ^iNaturalist
In Massachusetts, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–September. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,725 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #67 among the 110 flowers on our Washington list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,990 research-grade sightings of it in Massachusetts, ranking #72 among the 110 flowers on our Massachusetts list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 848 research-grade sightings of it in Maine, ranking #88 among the 110 flowers on our Maine list. ^iNaturalist

Pinesap gift ideas

Handmade pinesap gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

Placeholder

Pinesap art print
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Pinesap greeting card
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Pinesap mug
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Pinesap earrings
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Pinesap embroidery pattern
Gift pick coming soon
Placeholder

Pinesap sticker
Gift pick coming soon

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,635 records)

Bloom time in each of our 5 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Washington	Native	May–August	2,725
Massachusetts	Native	June–September	1,990
Maine	Native	June–August	848
Connecticut	Native	August–September	787
Rhode Island	Native	September	232

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Washington: No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Washington.
Massachusetts: Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Massachusetts. ^{MESA list}
Maine: Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maine. ^{Maine rare plant list}
Connecticut: Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Connecticut. ^{CT E/T/SC list}
Rhode Island: Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Rhode Island. ^{RI rare plants 2016}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AL (S2), DE (S2), FL (S1), IA (S1), KS (S1), LA (S2), NE (S1), OK (S1), WY (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records pinesap in 45 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

Washington counties with USDA records: Chelan, Clallam, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, Yakima.

Massachusetts counties with USDA records: Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester.

Maine counties with USDA records: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York.

More Washington flowers

Ghost pipe

Monotropa uniflora

Native

🌼 Blooms in WA: June–August

Striped wintergreen

Chimaphila maculata

Native

🌼 Blooms: May–July

Mountain laurel

Kalmia latifolia

★ CT state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms: April–June

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile MOHY3.
iNaturalist, Monotropa hypopitys: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Monotropa hypopitys (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
Maine: Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories.
Maine: Maine Do Not Sell invasive plant list (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 273).
Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Monotropa hypopitys (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Elizabeth Axley via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.