Flower profile

Sessile bellwort

Uvularia sessilifolia

Sessile bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia) is a flowering plant in the Colchicaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Sessile bellwort is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 6 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

35states where USDA records it

6Bloomipedia state lists include it

11,929U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont

Quick look

Uvularia sessilifolia, the sessile bellwort, sessileleaf bellwort, little merrybells or wild oats, is a species of bellwort native to eastern and central North America. It grows in woodlands with wet or dry soils.
From Wikipedia's article Uvularia sessilifolia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Colchicaceae 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 35 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut and Rhode Island. ^NatureServe
In Massachusetts, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
In Vermont, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,781 research-grade sightings of it in Massachusetts, ranking #84 among the 188 flowers on our Massachusetts list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,516 research-grade sightings of it in Vermont, ranking #55 among the 159 flowers on our Vermont list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,402 research-grade sightings of it in New Hampshire, ranking #36 among the 157 flowers on our New Hampshire list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,407 records)

Bloom time in the 6 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Massachusetts	Native	April–May	1,781
Vermont	Native	April–May	1,516
New Hampshire	Native	April–May	1,402
Maine	Native	May	1,033
Connecticut	Native	April–May	612
Rhode Island	Native	few records (20)	242

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 6 of our 6 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}
Vermont: Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: S5, secure in Vermont. ^{Vermont E&T list}
New Hampshire: Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Hampshire. ^{NH Ncr 312}
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}

Rare elsewhere

Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: FL (S2), KS (S1), LA (S2), ND (S2), OK (SH), SD (SX). (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?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Young shoots are said to have a flavor reminiscent of asparagus. Tea made from the roots has been used to treat diarrhea and other ailments.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

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 sessile bellwort in 35 states plus Washington, D.C.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Massachusetts counties with USDA records: Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester.

Vermont counties with USDA records: Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, Windsor.

New Hampshire counties with USDA records: Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, Sullivan.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Oakesiella sessilifolia.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 610 counties across 33 states; the most are in Virginia (67), Pennsylvania (62), New York (43).

Other Uvularia on Bloomipedia (1): Largeflower bellwort.

More Massachusetts flowers

Roses (genus Rosa)

Rosa

★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌼 Blooms in MA: May–July

Striped wintergreen

Chimaphila maculata

Native

🌼 Blooms in MA: July

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in MA: July–September

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile UVSE.
iNaturalist, Uvularia sessilifolia: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Uvularia sessilifolia (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
State rare and invasive plant lists (11):
Show all 11 state lists
- 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.).
- Vermont: Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022).
- Vermont: Vermont Quarantine List, Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule (eff. June 16, 2026).
- New Hampshire: New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020).
- New Hampshire: NH Prohibited Invasive Species List (Agr 3800, Table 3800.1).
- 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, Uvularia sessilifolia (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Laura J. Costello via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.