Flower profile

Twoleaf miterwort

Mitella diphylla

Twoleaf miterwort (Mitella diphylla) is a flowering plant in the Saxifragaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Native to Vermont

Twoleaf miterwort is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Vermont it's most often seen in bloom in May.

27states where USDA records it

1,101VT sightings*

10,809U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Vermont

Quick look

Mitella diphylla is a clump forming, open woodland plant native to northeast and midwest regions of North America.
From Wikipedia's article Mitella diphylla, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Saxifragaceae 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 27 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Vermont. ^NatureServe
In Vermont, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,101 research-grade sightings of it in Vermont, ranking #77 among the 159 flowers on our Vermont list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Vermont, most flowering sightings come in May.

Flowering records by month in Vermont (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (541 records)

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
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}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AL (S1), AR (S2), DE (S2), 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?

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 twoleaf miterwort in 27 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

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

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

Names, range and relatives

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

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Mitella oppositifolia.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 655 counties across 22 states; the most are in Michigan (68), Pennsylvania (66), Ohio (64).

More from the Saxifragaceae family (12 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Fringe cups, Virginia saxifrage, Creeping foamflower, Threeleaf foamflower, Youth-on-age, Cliff saxifrage, Bulbous woodland star, Prairie alumroot.

More Vermont flowers

Creeping foamflower

Tiarella stolonifera

Native

🌼 Blooms in VT: May–June

Virginia saxifrage

Micranthes virginiensis

Native

🌼 Blooms in VT: April–May

Red trillium

Trillium erectum

Native

🌼 Blooms in VT: April–May

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile MIDI3.
iNaturalist, Mitella diphylla: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Mitella diphylla (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
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).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Mitella diphylla (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: er-birds via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.