Flower profile
Heartleaf twayblade
Neottia cordata
Heartleaf twayblade is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Alaska it's most often seen in bloom in May–August.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Alaska
Quick look
Neottia cordata, the lesser twayblade or heartleaf twayblade, is an orchid of upland bogs and mires. It was formerly placed in the genus Listera, but molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that Neottia nidus-avis, the bird's-nest orchid, evolved within the same group.
- It belongs to the Orchidaceae 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 28 states. USDA PLANTS
- In Alaska, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–August. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 497 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #86 among the 108 flowers on our Alaska list. iNaturalist
Heartleaf twayblade gift ideas
Handmade heartleaf twayblade 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.
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Heartleaf twayblade art print
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Heartleaf twayblade greeting card
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Heartleaf twayblade mug
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Heartleaf twayblade earrings
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Heartleaf twayblade embroidery pattern
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Heartleaf twayblade sticker
When does it bloom?
In Alaska, most flowering sightings come in May–August.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe
- Unknown We couldn't find this name in NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe
- Alaska
- No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
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 heartleaf twayblade in 28 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Alaska counties with USDA records: Aleutians East, Aleutians West, Anchorage, Bethel, Chugach, Copper River, Dillingham, Haines, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, Ketchikan Gateway, Kodiak Island, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Sitka, Yakutat, Yukon-Koyukuk.
More Alaska flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile LICO6.
- iNaturalist, Neottia cordata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Neottia cordata (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.
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Laura Holloway via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.