Flower profile
Richardson's brookfoam
Boykinia richardsonii
Richardson's brookfoam is a wildflower. In Alaska it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Alaska
Quick look
Boykinia richardsonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae, endemic to Alaska and the adjacent Canadian territory of Yukon. It is commonly known as Richardson's brookfoam, but has also been called Alaska boykin, bearflower, Richardson's boykin and Richardson's saxifrage. "Bearflower" reflects its popularity with grizzly bears as forage in the summer months when it flowers.
- It belongs to the Saxifragaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska. NatureServe
- In Alaska, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 447 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #99 among the 108 flowers on our Alaska list. iNaturalist
Richardson's brookfoam gift ideas
Handmade richardson's brookfoam 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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Richardson's brookfoam art print
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Richardson's brookfoam greeting card
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Richardson's brookfoam mug
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Richardson's brookfoam earrings
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Richardson's brookfoam embroidery pattern
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Richardson's brookfoam sticker
When does it bloom?
In Alaska, 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
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Alaska
- No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Alaska.
- 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 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 richardson's brookfoam in 1 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alaska.
Alaska counties with USDA records: Bethel, Chugach, Copper River, Denali, Kenai Peninsula, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Southeast Fairbanks, Yukon-Koyukuk.
More Alaska flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile BORI2.
- iNaturalist, Boykinia richardsonii: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Boykinia richardsonii (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Alaska: Alaska prohibited and restricted noxious weeds (11 AAC 34.020).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Boykinia richardsonii (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Alexandria 'Alex' Wenninger via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.