Flower profile
Diapensia
Diapensia lapponica
Diapensia (Diapensia lapponica) is a low shrub in the Diapensiaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly in June across the U.S.
Diapensia is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In New Hampshire it's most often seen in bloom in June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: New Hampshire
Quick look
Diapensia lapponica, the pincushion plant, is a plant in the family Diapensiaceae, the only circumboreal species in the genus Diapensia, the others being mainly in the Himalaya and on mountains in southwestern China. This species likely became circumboreal-circumpolar [Arctic–alpine] after it jumped to arctic habitat from North China and Russia. The most likely candidate for ancestor is a white-flowered D.
- It belongs to the Diapensiaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 5 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to New Hampshire. NatureServe
- In New Hampshire, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,978 research-grade sightings of it in New Hampshire, ranking #12 among the 157 flowers on our New Hampshire list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In New Hampshire, most flowering sightings come in June.
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
- New Hampshire
- State threatened On New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020): state threatened. NatureServe: S2, imperiled in New Hampshire. NH Ncr 312
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: ME (S2), NY (S2), VT (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.
Please don't pick or dig this flower: it's on New Hampshire's rare plant list (state threatened); NatureServe ranks it S2 in New Hampshire. NH Ncr 312 NatureServe
Can you eat it?
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.
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 diapensia in 5 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont.
New Hampshire counties with USDA records: Coos, Grafton.
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.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 26 counties across 5 states; the most are in Alaska (18), Maine (3), New Hampshire (2).
Other Diapensia on Bloomipedia (1): Alaskan pincushion plant.
More from the Diapensiaceae family (2 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Galax.
More New Hampshire flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DILA.
- iNaturalist, Diapensia lapponica: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Diapensia lapponica (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- New Hampshire: New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020).
- New Hampshire: NH Prohibited Invasive Species List (Agr 3800, Table 3800.1).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Diapensia lapponica (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Chris LaRosee via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.