Flower profile
Squirrel corn
Dicentra canadensis
Squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis) is a flowering plant in the Papaveraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.
Squirrel corn is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In West Virginia it's most often seen in bloom in April.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: West Virginia
Quick look
Dicentra canadensis, the squirrel corn, is a flowering plant from eastern North America with oddly shaped white flowers and finely divided leaves.
- It belongs to the Papaveraceae 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 25 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to West Virginia. NatureServe
- In West Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 351 research-grade sightings of it in West Virginia, ranking #99 among the 153 flowers on our West Virginia list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In West Virginia, most flowering sightings come in April.
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
- West Virginia
- No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in West Virginia.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CT (S2), GA (S1), ME (S1), NJ (S1), SC (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?
NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: flowers, leaves, roots, sap/juice, seeds, stems. Symptoms they list: “Trembling, staggering, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, labored breathing only if large quantities are eaten. Skin irritation after repeated contact with the cell sap. The reaction is mild and lasts for a few minutes” NC State Extension
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 squirrel corn in 25 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
West Virginia counties with USDA records: Barbour, Boone, Brooke, Cabell, Calhoun, Fayette, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Kanawha, Logan, Marion, Marshall, Mercer, Mineral, Mingo, Monongalia, Monroe, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Randolph, Ritchie, Summers, Tucker, Tyler, Wetzel, Wirt.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Bicuculla canadensis.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 465 counties across 19 states; the most are in Michigan (66), Kentucky (47), Ohio (45).
Other Dicentra on Bloomipedia (2): Dutchman's breeches, Pacific bleeding heart.
More from the Papaveraceae family (16 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Bloodroot, California poppy, Greater celandine, Celandine poppy, Bush poppy, Yellow corydalis, Thistle poppy, Golden corydalis.
More West Virginia flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DICA.
- iNaturalist, Dicentra canadensis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Dicentra canadensis (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- West Virginia: West Virginia noxious weeds (W. Va. Code R. § 61-14A-5) (the rule abbreviates some names (e.g. “P. cuspidatum”); we expand them to match).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Dicentra canadensis (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Alex Abair via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.