Flower profile
Pale pitcher plant
Sarracenia alata
Pale pitcher plant 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 March–April.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Louisiana, Mississippi
Quick look
Sarracenia alata, also known as yellow trumpets, pale pitcher plant or pale trumpet, is a carnivorous plant in the genus Sarracenia. Specifically, S. alata is an endemic species to North America; it is native to the southeastern regions of the United States, including parts of the Gulf Coast states.
- It belongs to the Sarraceniaceae 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 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Mississippi and Louisiana. NatureServe
- In Mississippi, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
- In Louisiana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–August. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,692 research-grade sightings of it in Mississippi, ranking #1 among the 110 flowers on our Mississippi list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,049 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #23 among the 109 flowers on our Louisiana list. iNaturalist
Pale pitcher plant gift ideas
Handmade pale pitcher plant 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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Pale pitcher plant art print
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Pale pitcher plant greeting card
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Pale pitcher plant mug
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Pale pitcher plant earrings
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Pale pitcher plant embroidery pattern
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Pale pitcher plant sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 2 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | Native | March–April | 1,692 |
| Louisiana | Native | March–August | 1,049 |
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
- Mississippi
- No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
- Louisiana
- No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
- 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?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. 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 pale pitcher plant in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas.
Mississippi counties with USDA records: Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Lamar, Pearl River, Perry, Stone, Wayne.
Louisiana counties with USDA records: Beauregard, Bienville, Calcasieu, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vernon, Washington.
More Mississippi flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SAAL4.
- iNaturalist, Sarracenia alata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Sarracenia alata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Mississippi: Mississippi Noxious Weed List (2 Miss. Code R. 1-3-01-136.01).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Sarracenia alata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Kim via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.