Flower profile
Parrot pitcher plant
Sarracenia psittacina
Parrot pitcher plant (Sarracenia psittacina) is a flowering plant in the Sarraceniaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.
Parrot pitcher plant is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Mississippi it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Mississippi
Quick look
Sarracenia psittacina, also known as the parrot pitcherplant, is a carnivorous plant in the genus Sarracenia. Like all the Sarracenia, it is native to North America, in the Southeastern United 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 6 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Mississippi. NatureServe
- In Mississippi, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 495 research-grade sightings of it in Mississippi, ranking #37 among the 154 flowers on our Mississippi list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Mississippi, most flowering sightings come in April–May.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed Not listed under the Endangered Species Act. USFWS ECOS does track it with the label “Resolved Taxon,” which is informal and gives no legal protection. 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: S4, apparently secure in Mississippi.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: GA (S2), SC (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?
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 parrot pitcher plant in 6 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina.
Mississippi counties with USDA records: George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Lamar, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Stone.
Names, range and relatives
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 57 counties across 6 states; the most are in Georgia (18), Florida (17), Mississippi (10).
Other Sarracenia on Bloomipedia (6): Purple pitcher plant, Yellow pitcher plant, Hooded pitcher plant, Pale pitcher plant, White pitcher plant, Burk's southern pitcher plant.
More from the Sarraceniaceae family (7 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): California pitcher plant.
More Mississippi flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SAPS2.
- iNaturalist, Sarracenia psittacina: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Sarracenia psittacina (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 psittacina (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Lauren McLaurin via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.