Flower profile
Pink mountainheath
Phyllodoce empetriformis
Pink mountainheath is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Washington it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Washington
Quick look
Phyllodoce empetriformis, also known by the common name pink mountain heather, is a flowering plant species in the family Ericaceae which is found in alpine environments in the Rocky Mountains of the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. It is a low matting shrub with distinctive, needle-like evergreen leaves and gets its name from its attractive bell-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, and purple.
- It belongs to the Ericaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 8 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Washington. NatureServe
- In Washington, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 3,521 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #47 among the 110 flowers on our Washington list. iNaturalist
Pink mountainheath gift ideas
Handmade pink mountainheath 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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Pink mountainheath art print
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Pink mountainheath greeting card
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Pink mountainheath mug
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Pink mountainheath earrings
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Pink mountainheath embroidery pattern
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Pink mountainheath sticker
When does it bloom?
In Washington, most flowering sightings come in June–August.
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
- 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: AK (S1), AZ (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 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 pink mountainheath in 8 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming.
Washington counties with USDA records: Chelan, Clallam, Columbia, Cowlitz, Ferry, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Whatcom, Yakima.
More Washington flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PHEM.
- iNaturalist, Phyllodoce empetriformis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Phyllodoce empetriformis (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Phyllodoce empetriformis (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: John Brew via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.