Flower profile

Early meadow-rue

Thalictrum dioicum

Early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum) is a flowering plant in the Ranunculaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Native to Minnesota

Early meadow-rue is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Minnesota it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

33states where USDA records it

1,609MN sightings*

7,364U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Minnesota

Quick look

Thalictrum dioicum, the early meadow-rue or quicksilver-weed, is a species of herbaceous plants in the family Ranunculaceae. Plants are typically upright growing woodland natives from Colorado Rocky Mountain forests to central and eastern North America including parts of south eastern Canada. This species has dioecious plants, with male and female flowers on separate plants blooming in early to mid spring.
From Wikipedia's article Thalictrum dioicum, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Ranunculaceae 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 33 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Minnesota. ^NatureServe
In Minnesota, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,609 research-grade sightings of it in Minnesota, ranking #85 among the 152 flowers on our Minnesota list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Minnesota, most flowering sightings come in April–May.

Flowering records by month in Minnesota (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (136 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
Minnesota: Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. ^{Minn. R. 6134.0300}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AR (S1), DE (S1), KS (S1), MS (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 edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 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 early meadow-rue in 33 states plus Washington, D.C.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Minnesota counties with USDA records: Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Blue Earth, Carlton, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Marshall, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Nicollet, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Rice, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Todd, Wabasha, Washington, Winona, Wright.

Names, range and relatives

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

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 668 counties across 29 states; the most are in Kentucky (61), Pennsylvania (61), Indiana (59).

Other Thalictrum on Bloomipedia (2): Rue anemone, Tall meadow-rue.

More from the Ranunculaceae family (48 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lesser celandine, Red columbine, Wood anemone, Western columbine, Marsh marigold, White baneberry, Round-lobed hepatica, Red baneberry.

More Minnesota flowers

Red columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Native

🌼 Blooms in MN: May–June

Marsh marigold

Caltha palustris

Native

🌼 Blooms in MN: April–June

Red baneberry

Actaea rubra

Native

🌼 Blooms in MN: May–June

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile THDI.
iNaturalist, Thalictrum dioicum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Thalictrum dioicum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Minnesota: Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300).
Minnesota: Minnesota Noxious Weed List (Minn. Stat. § 18.79; Minnesota Department of Agriculture, updated January 2026).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Thalictrum dioicum (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Liren Varghese via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.