Flower profile
Moonseed
Menispermum canadense
Moonseed (Menispermum canadense) is a vine in the Menispermaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–June across the U.S.
Moonseed is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Kansas
Quick look
Menispermum canadense, the Canadian moonseed, common moonseed, or yellow parilla, is a species of flowering plant in the family Menispermaceae, native to eastern North America, from southern Canada south to northern Florida, and from the Atlantic coast west to Manitoba and Texas. It occurs in thickets, moist woods, and the banks of streams.
- It belongs to the Menispermaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 34 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Kansas. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 321 research-grade sightings of it in Kansas, ranking #82 among the 151 flowers on our Kansas list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
There are only a handful of Kansas flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.
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
- Kansas
- No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Kansas.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NH (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?
NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: high). Poisonous parts: flowers, fruits, leaves, roots. Symptoms they list: “Highly toxic. Fruits contain alkaloids including berberine, menispine, menispermine and dauricine. Causes convulsions and can be fatal.” They also note: “Fruit is poisonous to humans and should never be eaten.” NC State Extension
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 moonseed in 34 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Kansas counties with USDA records: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth, Franklin, Geary, Greenwood, Harvey, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Johnson, Kiowa, Labette, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Reno, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Sheridan, Smith, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wilson, Woodson, Wyandotte.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1106 counties across 32 states; the most are in Missouri (114), Illinois (95), Ohio (88).
More from the Menispermaceae family (1 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Carolina snailseed.
More Kansas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile MECA3.
- iNaturalist, Menispermum canadense: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Menispermum canadense (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Kansas: Kansas noxious weeds (K.A.R. 4-8-44, as amended 2026).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Menispermum canadense (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: David Gorsline via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.