Flower profile

Arctic starflower

Lysimachia europaea

Arctic starflower (Lysimachia europaea) is a flowering plant in the Primulaceae family, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.

Native to Alaska

Arctic starflower is a flowering plant. In Alaska it's most often seen in bloom in June–July.

–states where USDA records it

1,552AK sightings*

1,743U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alaska

Quick look

Lysimachia europaea is a flowering plant in the primrose family Primulaceae, called by the common name chickweed-wintergreen or arctic starflower. It is a small herbaceous perennial plant with one or more whorls of leaves on a single slender erect stem. It is about 10 cm, 3.9 in high. The broad lanceolate leaves are pale green but take on a copper hue in late summer.
From Wikipedia's article Lysimachia europaea, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Primulaceae family. ^iNaturalist
NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska. ^NatureServe
In Alaska, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,552 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #21 among the 121 flowers on our Alaska list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Alaska, most flowering sightings come in June–July.

Flowering records by month in Alaska (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (103 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: CA (S1). (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)) 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 has no state-by-state distribution for this name, so we can't map it yet.

Names, range and relatives

Other Lysimachia on Bloomipedia (7): Scarlet pimpernel, Northern starflower, Western starflower, Creeping jenny, Fringed loosestrife, Whorled loosestrife, Swamp candles.

More from the Primulaceae family (14 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Henderson's shooting star, Eastern shooting star, Coralberry, Dark-throated shooting star, Shoebutton ardisia, Parry's primrose, Kōlea lau nui.

More Alaska flowers

Dark-throated shooting star

Primula pauciflora

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in AK

Fireweed

Chamaenerion angustifolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in AK: July–August

Common cowparsnip

Heracleum maximum

Native

🌼 Blooms in AK: June–July

Sources

USDA PLANTS: no profile matched this name.
iNaturalist, Lysimachia europaea: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Lysimachia europaea (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, Lysimachia europaea (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Alexandria 'Alex' Wenninger via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.