Bloomipedia
Pacific waterleaf (Hydrophyllum tenuipes)
Photo: Harry Podschwit via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Pacific waterleaf

Hydrophyllum tenuipes

Pacific waterleaf (Hydrophyllum tenuipes) is a flowering plant in the Boraginaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–June across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Pacific waterleaf is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–June.

3states where USDA records it
2Bloomipedia state lists include it
6,195U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Oregon, Washington

Quick look

Hydrophyllum tenuipes, Pacific waterleaf or slender-stemmed waterleaf, is an herbaceous perennial plant native to North America. It is found in western North America from British Columbia to northern California.

  • It belongs to the Boraginaceae 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 3 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Oregon and Washington. NatureServe
  • In Oregon, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. iNaturalist
  • In Washington, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,430 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #46 among the 184 flowers on our Oregon list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,708 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #69 among the 187 flowers on our Washington list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (451 records)
Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
OregonNativeMay–June3,430
WashingtonNativeApril–June2,708

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
Oregon
Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oregon. OAR 603-073-0070
Washington
No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Washington.
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 Pacific waterleaf in 3 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Oregon, Washington.

Oregon counties with USDA records: Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Hood River, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, Yamhill.

Washington counties with USDA records: Clallam, Columbia, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skamania, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, Yakima.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Hydrophyllum viridulum.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 37 counties across 3 states; the most are in Oregon (18), Washington (16), California (3).

Other Hydrophyllum on Bloomipedia (3): Virginia waterleaf, Great waterleaf, Ballhead waterleaf.

More from the Boraginaceae family (42 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Virginia bluebells, Pacific hound's tongue, Distant phacelia, Alkali heliotrope, Virginia stickseed, Wild comfrey, Menzies' baby blue eyes, California yerba santa.

More Oregon flowers

Pacific hound's tongue (Adelinia grandis)

Pacific hound's tongue

Adelinia grandis

Native

🌼 Blooms in OR: March–May
Pacific trillium (Trillium ovatum)

Pacific trillium

Trillium ovatum

Native

🌼 Blooms in OR: March–May
Salal (Gaultheria shallon)

Salal

Gaultheria shallon

Native

🌼 Blooms in OR: May–July

Sources