Bloomipedia
Meadow bistort (Bistorta plumosa)
Photo: Lauren McLaurin via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Meadow bistort

Bistorta plumosa

Meadow bistort (Bistorta plumosa) is a flowering plant in the Polygonaceae family, blooming mostly June–August across the U.S.

Native to Alaska

Meadow bistort is a wildflower. In Alaska it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.

1states where USDA records it
523AK sightings*
523U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alaska

Quick look

Bistorta plumosa is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family Polygonaceae. Common names for Bistorta Plumosa include meadow bistort. Bistorta plumosa is monoecious, with flowers containing both male and female reproductive parts that are pollinated by insects.

  • It belongs to the Polygonaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska. NatureServe
  • In Alaska, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 523 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #82 among the 121 flowers on our Alaska list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

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

Flowering records by month in Alaska (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (59 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
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

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 meadow bistort in 1 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska.

Alaska counties with USDA records: Anchorage, Bethel, Chugach, Copper River, Denali, Dillingham, Fairbanks North Star, Juneau, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Southeast Fairbanks, Yukon-Koyukuk.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Alaska: Native; Canada: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Polygonum plumosum.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 15 counties across 1 states; the most are in Alaska (15).

Other Bistorta on Bloomipedia (2): American bistort, Alpine 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

Alpine bistort (Bistorta vivipara)

Alpine bistort

Bistorta vivipara

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in AK
Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium)

Fireweed

Chamaenerion angustifolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in AK: July–August
Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum)

Common cowparsnip

Heracleum maximum

Native

🌼 Blooms in AK: June–July

Sources