Bloomipedia
Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)
Photo: Bruce Cook via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Virginia waterleaf

Hydrophyllum virginianum

Native in the lower 48

Virginia waterleaf is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 7 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–June.

29states
7of our state lists
23,696U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin

Quick look

Hydrophyllum virginianum, commonly called Virginia waterleaf or eastern waterleaf, is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Eastern North America where it is primarily found in the Midwest, Northeast, and Appalachian regions. The genus Hydrophyllum is placed in the family Hydrophyllaceae.

  • It belongs to the Boraginaceae 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 29 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Minnesota, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. iNaturalist
  • In Wisconsin, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 4,860 research-grade sightings of it in Minnesota, ranking #6 among the 110 flowers on our Minnesota list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,874 research-grade sightings of it in Wisconsin, ranking #19 among the 109 flowers on our Wisconsin list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,467 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #36 among the 109 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist

Virginia waterleaf gift ideas

Handmade virginia waterleaf 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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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,701 records)
Bloom time in each of our 7 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
MinnesotaNativeMay–June4,860
WisconsinNativeMay–June3,874
IllinoisNativeMay–June3,467
VermontNativeMay–June986
IowaNativeMay–June799
NebraskaNativefew records224
South DakotaNativefew records208

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
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. Minn. R. 6134.0300
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. NR 27.03
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
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
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe: S5, secure in Iowa. IAC 571-77.3
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
South Dakota
No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Dakota.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NH (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?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Young leaves and shoots are edible and can be added to salads.” 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 Virginia waterleaf in 29 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

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

Minnesota counties with USDA records: Aitkin, Anoka, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Winona, Wright.

Wisconsin counties with USDA records: Adams, Barron, Brown, Buffalo, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Winnebago, Wood.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Alexander, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Coles, Cook, Cumberland, De Witt, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Fulton, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Putnam, Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Will, Winnebago.

More Minnesota flowers

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Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana)

Virginia stickseed

Hackelia virginiana

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Narrowleaf puccoon (Lithospermum incisum)

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Sources