Bloomipedia
Northern starflower (Lysimachia borealis)
Photo: Nick Kleinschmidt via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Northern starflower

Lysimachia borealis

Northern starflower (Lysimachia borealis) is a flowering plant in the Primulaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–June across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Northern starflower is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 10 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–June.

27states where USDA records it
10Bloomipedia state lists include it
30,070U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin

Quick look

Lysimachia borealis, the starflower, is a North American woodland perennial that blooms between May and June.

  • It belongs to the Primulaceae 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 27 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Massachusetts, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May. iNaturalist
  • In Michigan, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 5,803 research-grade sightings of it in Massachusetts, ranking #19 among the 188 flowers on our Massachusetts list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,649 research-grade sightings of it in Michigan, ranking #29 among the 172 flowers on our Michigan list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,645 research-grade sightings of it in Maine, ranking #10 among the 160 flowers on our Maine list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (9,062 records)
Bloom time in the 10 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
MassachusettsNativeMay5,803
MichiganNativeMay–June3,649
MaineNativeMay–June3,645
New HampshireNativeMay–June3,581
New YorkNativeMay–June3,040
WisconsinNativeMay–June2,590
VermontNativeMay–June2,066
MinnesotaNativeMay–June2,007
ConnecticutNativeMay912
Rhode IslandNativeMay447

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
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 10 of our 10 states.
See each state
Massachusetts
Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Massachusetts. MESA list
Michigan
Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Michigan. R 299.1028
Maine
Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maine. Maine rare plant list
New Hampshire
Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Hampshire. NH Ncr 312
New York
Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe: S5, secure in New York. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. NR 27.03
Vermont
Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: S5, secure in Vermont. Vermont E&T list
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
Connecticut
Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Connecticut. CT E/T/SC list
Rhode Island
Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Rhode Island. RI rare plants 2016
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DE (S1), GA (S1), KY (S1), NC (S1), TN (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 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 Northern starflower in 27 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Massachusetts counties with USDA records: Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester.

Michigan counties with USDA records: Alcona, Alger, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Barry, Bay, Benzie, Berrien, Calhoun, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clare, Clinton, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Emmet, Gladwin, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Houghton, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Iosco, Iron, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Keweenaw, Lake, Lapeer, Leelanau, Livingston, Luce, Mackinac, Macomb, Manistee, Marquette, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland, Oceana, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Schoolcraft, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wexford.

Maine counties with USDA records: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York.

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 508 counties across 25 states; the most are in Michigan (69), Wisconsin (64), Pennsylvania (57).

Other Lysimachia on Bloomipedia (7): Scarlet pimpernel, Western starflower, Creeping jenny, Fringed loosestrife, Whorled loosestrife, Swamp candles, Arctic starflower.

More from the Primulaceae family (14 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Henderson's shooting star, Eastern shooting star, Coralberry, Dark-throated shooting star, Shoebutton ardisia, Parry's primrose, Kōlea lau nui.

More Massachusetts flowers

Whorled loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia)

Whorled loosestrife

Lysimachia quadrifolia

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🌼 Blooms in MA: June–July
Roses (genus Rosa) (Rosa)

Roses (genus Rosa)

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★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

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Striped wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata)

Striped wintergreen

Chimaphila maculata

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🌼 Blooms in MA: July

Sources