Flower profile
Pinesap
Monotropa hypopitys
Pinesap (Monotropa hypopitys) is a flowering plant in the Ericaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–September across the U.S.
Pinesap is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 5 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–September.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Washington
Quick look
Monotropa hypopitys, syn. Hypopitys monotropa, also known as yellow bird's nest in Britain and Ireland, pinesap and false beechdrops in Canada and the United States, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Monotropoideae subfamily of the family Ericaceae. It is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is scarce within its range. M.
- It belongs to the Ericaceae 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 45 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Washington, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and Rhode Island. NatureServe
- In Washington, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
- In Massachusetts, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in September. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,725 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #68 among the 187 flowers on our Washington list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,990 research-grade sightings of it in Massachusetts, ranking #75 among the 188 flowers on our Massachusetts list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 848 research-grade sightings of it in Maine, ranking #89 among the 160 flowers on our Maine list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in the 5 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | Native | June–August | 2,725 |
| Massachusetts | Native | September | 1,990 |
| Maine | Native | June–August | 848 |
| Connecticut | Native | September | 787 |
| Rhode Island | Native | few records (27) | 232 |
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 4 of our 5 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AL (S2), DE (S2), FL (S1), IA (S1), KS (S1), LA (S2), NE (S1), OK (S1), WY (S2). (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 page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
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 pinesap in 45 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.
Washington counties with USDA records: Chelan, Clallam, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, Yakima.
Massachusetts counties with USDA records: Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester.
Maine counties with USDA records: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Alaska: Native; Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native; St. Pierre and Miquelon: Native.
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Hypopitys americana, Hypopitys fimbriata, Hypopitys insignata, Hypopitys latisquama, Hypopitys lanuginosa, Hypopitys monotropa, Monotropa hypopithys, Monotropa lanuginosa, Monotropa latisquama.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 716 counties across 42 states; the most are in Virginia (78), Pennsylvania (51), Michigan (48).
Other Monotropa on Bloomipedia (1): Ghost pipe.
More from the Ericaceae family (55 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Rhododendrons and azaleas, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Salal, Woodland pinedrops, Trailing arbutus (mayflower), Bearberry.
More Washington flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile MOHY3.
- iNaturalist, Monotropa hypopitys: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Monotropa hypopitys (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
- Maine: 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.
- Maine: Maine Do Not Sell invasive plant list (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 273).
- Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
- Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
- Rhode Island: 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).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Monotropa hypopitys (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Elizabeth Axley via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.