Bloomipedia
Whorled lousewort (Pedicularis verticillata)
Photo: Amber M. King via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Whorled lousewort

Pedicularis verticillata

Native to Alaska

Whorled lousewort is a wildflower. In Alaska it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.

1states
705AK sightings*
705U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alaska

Quick look

Pedicularis verticillata, the whorled lousewort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae which can be found in Alaska, North-Western Canada, and everywhere in China at the elevation of 2,100–4,400 metres (6,900–14,400 ft). Its native habitats include moist meadows and lakeshores.

  • It belongs to the Orobanchaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska. NatureServe
  • In Alaska, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 705 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #59 among the 108 flowers on our Alaska list. iNaturalist

Whorled lousewort gift ideas

Handmade whorled lousewort gifts from independent makers.

When does it bloom?

In Alaska, most flowering sightings come in June–August.

Flowering records by month in Alaska (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (36 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
G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
Alaska
No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Alaska.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

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 page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 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 whorled lousewort in 1 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska.

Alaska counties with USDA records: Aleutians East, Aleutians West, Anchorage, Bethel, Chugach, Copper River, Denali, Dillingham, Fairbanks North Star, Haines, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Sitka, Southeast Fairbanks, Yakutat, Yukon-Koyukuk.

More Alaska flowers

Sources