Flower profile

Spotted coralroot

Corallorhiza maculata

Spotted coralroot (Corallorhiza maculata) is a flowering plant in the Orchidaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Spotted coralroot is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.

41states where USDA records it

4Bloomipedia state lists include it

15,619U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming

Quick look

Corallorhiza maculata, or spotted coralroot, is a North American coralroot orchid. It has three varieties: C. maculata var. occidentalis, C. maculata var. maculata, and C. maculata var. mexicana. It is widespread through Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and much of the western and northern United States. It grows mostly in montane woodlands.
From Wikipedia's article Corallorhiza maculata, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Orchidaceae 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 41 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Washington, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. ^NatureServe
In Washington, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,784 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #66 among the 187 flowers on our Washington list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 730 research-grade sightings of it in Montana, ranking #55 among the 128 flowers on our Montana list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 491 research-grade sightings of it in Wyoming, ranking #59 among the 113 flowers on our Wyoming list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,289 records)

Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Washington	Native	May–June	2,784
Montana	Native	few records (33)	730
Wyoming	Native	few records (15)	491
Idaho	Native	few records (22)	446

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.
Montana: No list Montana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Montana ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Montana.
Wyoming: No list Wyoming has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Wyoming ranks instead. NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Wyoming.
Idaho: No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Idaho.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DE (SH), GA (SH), IA (S1), IL (S1), NC (S2), NE (S1), OH (S2), RI (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.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S3 in Wyoming. ^NatureServe

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

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}

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 spotted coralroot in 41 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Washington counties with USDA records: Asotin, Chelan, Clallam, Columbia, Cowlitz, Ferry, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Yakima.

Montana counties with USDA records: Cascade, Gallatin, Glacier, Park, Phillips, Powell, Stillwater.

Wyoming counties with USDA records: Albany, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Fremont, Johnson, Lincoln, Natrona, Park, Sheridan, Sweetwater, Teton, Weston.

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): Corallorrhiza maculata.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 659 counties across 39 states; the most are in Michigan (64), Pennsylvania (58), New York (55).

Other Corallorhiza on Bloomipedia (1): Pacific coralroot.

More from the Orchidaceae family (23 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Pink lady's slipper, Crane-fly orchid, Downy rattlesnake plantain, Broad-leaved helleborine, Western rattlesnake plantain, Showy orchis, Putty root, White bog orchid.

More Washington flowers

Western rattlesnake plantain

Goodyera oblongifolia

Native

🌼 Blooms in WA: July–August

Pacific coralroot

Corallorhiza mertensiana

Native

🌼 Blooms in WA: June–July

Salmonberry

Rubus spectabilis

Native

🌼 Blooms in WA: March–May

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile COMA25.
iNaturalist, Corallorhiza maculata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Corallorhiza maculata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
Montana: Montana noxious weed list (Admin. R. Mont. 4.5.206–4.5.210).
Wyoming: Wyoming state designated noxious weeds (W.S. 11-5-102(a)(xi)), as listed by the Wyoming Weed & Pest Council.
Idaho: Idaho noxious weeds (IDAPA 02.06.09, Section 220).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Corallorhiza maculata (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Daughter Dad via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.