Flower profile
Twinleaf
Jeffersonia diphylla
Twinleaf is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–April.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Kentucky, West Virginia
Quick look
Jeffersonia, also known as twinleaf or rheumatism root, is a small genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Berberidaceae. They are uncommon spring wildflowers and grow in limestone soils of rich deciduous forests. Jeffersonia was named for United States President Thomas Jefferson by his contemporary Benjamin Smith Barton. This genus was formerly grouped in genus Podophyllum.
- It belongs to the Berberidaceae 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 18 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Kentucky and West Virginia. NatureServe
- In Kentucky, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
- In West Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 933 research-grade sightings of it in Kentucky, ranking #64 among the 110 flowers on our Kentucky list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 411 research-grade sightings of it in West Virginia, ranking #87 among the 110 flowers on our West Virginia list. iNaturalist
Twinleaf gift ideas
Handmade twinleaf 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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Twinleaf art print
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Twinleaf greeting card
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Twinleaf mug
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Twinleaf earrings
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Twinleaf embroidery pattern
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Twinleaf sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 2 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | Native | March–April | 933 |
| West Virginia | Native | March–April | 411 |
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
- Kentucky
- Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
- 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: AL (S2), GA (S1), IA (S1), NC (S1), NJ (S1), NY (S2), WI (S2). (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 edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. 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 twinleaf in 18 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Kentucky counties with USDA records: Adair, Allen, Anderson, Bath, Boone, Boyle, Bracken, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Caldwell, Campbell, Carroll, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Edmonson, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Garrard, Grant, Green, Hardin, Hart, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Kenton, Laurel, Leslie, Lewis, Madison, Marion, Mason, McCreary, Meade, Menifee, Mercer, Metcalfe, Morgan, Nelson, Nicholas, Oldham, Owen, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Trimble, Washington, Wayne, Woodford.
West Virginia counties with USDA records: Berkeley, Boone, Brooke, Cabell, Calhoun, Fayette, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hardy, Harrison, Jefferson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Marion, Mason, Mercer, Monongalia, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Ritchie, Roane, Summers, Tyler, Wayne, Wetzel, Wirt, Wyoming.
More Kentucky flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile JEDI.
- iNaturalist, Jeffersonia diphylla: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Jeffersonia (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Kentucky: Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026).
- Kentucky: Kentucky noxious weeds and invasive plants on state rights-of-way (KRS 176.051; species list from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet).
- 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, Jeffersonia diphylla (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Clay Gibbons via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.