Flower profile

Alpine bistort

Bistorta vivipara

Alpine bistort (Bistorta vivipara) is a flowering plant in the Polygonaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–August across the U.S.

Native to Alaska

Alpine bistort is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

17states where USDA records it

642AK sightings*

1,408U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alaska

Quick look

Bistorta vivipara is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the knotweed and buckwheat family Polygonaceae, commonly known as alpine bistort. Scientific synonyms include Bistorta vivipara and Polygonum viviparum. It is common all over the high Arctic through Europe, North America, incl. Greenland, and temperate and tropical Asia.
From Wikipedia's article Bistorta vivipara, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Polygonaceae 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 17 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 1 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 642 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #66 among the 121 flowers on our Alaska list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Alaska (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (37 records)

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
Alaska: No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alaska.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: ME (S1), MI (S1), MN (S2), NH (S1), NV (S1), VT (SX). (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 alpine bistort in 17 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming.

Alaska counties with USDA records: Aleutians East, Aleutians West, Anchorage, Bethel, Chugach, Copper River, Denali, Dillingham, Fairbanks North Star, Haines, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, Ketchikan Gateway, Kodiak Island, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Sitka, Southeast Fairbanks, Yakutat, Yukon-Koyukuk.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Alpine bistort a high shade tolerance, none drought tolerance and high moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 6.5 to 9.0 and winter lows down to -38 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: None
Moisture use: High
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 6.5 to 9.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: -38 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 80
Annual precipitation range: 12 to 30 inches
Minimum root depth: 14 inches
Salinity tolerance: Medium
Fertility requirement: Medium
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Brown · Summer to Summer
Can be propagated by: seed, sprigs
Commercial availability: No Known Source

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for POVI3. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Alaska: Native; Canada: Native; Greenland: Native; Lower 48 states: Native; St. Pierre and Miquelon: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Persicaria vivipara, Polygonum fugax, Polygonum macounii.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 105 counties across 16 states; the most are in Colorado (26), Alaska (23), Utah (14).

Other Bistorta on Bloomipedia (2): American bistort, Meadow bistort.

More from the Polygonaceae family (21 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): California buckwheat, American jumpseed, Low smartweed, Japanese knotweed, Sulfur buckwheat, Mile-a-minute weed, Water smartweed, Desert trumpet.

More Alaska flowers

Meadow bistort

Bistorta plumosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in AK: June–August

Fireweed

Chamaenerion angustifolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in AK: July–August

Common cowparsnip

Heracleum maximum

Native

🌼 Blooms in AK: June–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile POVI3.
iNaturalist, Bistorta vivipara: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Bistorta vivipara (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Alaska: Alaska prohibited and restricted noxious weeds (11 AAC 34.020).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Bistorta vivipara (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Matt Bowser via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.