Flower profile

Woodland pinedrops

Pterospora andromedea

Woodland pinedrops (Pterospora andromedea) is a flowering plant in the Ericaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–August across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Woodland pinedrops is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 8 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.

20states where USDA records it

8Bloomipedia state lists include it

19,522U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming

Quick look

Pterospora, commonly known as pinedrops, woodland pinedrops, Albany beechdrops, or giant bird's nest, is a North American genus in the subfamily Monotropoideae of the heath family, and includes only the species Pterospora andromedea. It grows as a mycoheterotroph in coniferous or mixed forests. It is widespread across much of Canada as well as the western and northeastern United States to Mexico.
From Wikipedia's article Pterospora, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Ericaceae 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 20 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
In Oregon, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–August. ^iNaturalist
In Washington, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–August. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,429 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #66 among the 184 flowers on our Oregon list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,322 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #80 among the 187 flowers on our Washington list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,133 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #77 among the 160 flowers on our Colorado list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (599 records)

Bloom time in the 8 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Oregon	Native	July–August	2,429
Washington	Native	July–August	2,322
Colorado	Native	few records (26)	2,133
Wyoming	Native	few records (23)	1,404
Idaho	Native	few records (14)	925
Montana	Native	few records (10)	900
Nevada	Native	few records (5)	478
South Dakota	Native	few records (9)	404

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
Oregon: Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oregon. ^{OAR 603-073-0070}
Washington: No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Washington.
Colorado: No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
Wyoming: No list Wyoming has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Wyoming ranks instead. NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Wyoming.
Idaho: No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Idaho.
Montana: No list Montana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Montana ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Montana.
Nevada: Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Nevada. ^{NAC 527.010}
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: MA (S1), MI (S2), NE (S2), NH (S1), NY (S1), TX (S1), VT (S1), WI (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.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S3 in Wyoming and S3 in Nevada. ^NatureServe

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 woodland pinedrops in 20 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Oregon counties with USDA records: Baker, Clackamas, Clatsop, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Grant, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Linn, Marion, Tillamook, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco.

Washington counties with USDA records: Chelan, Clallam, Cowlitz, Jefferson, Kittitas, Lewis, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skamania, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Yakima.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Archuleta, Boulder, Costilla, El Paso, Gilpin, Grand, La Plata, Las Animas, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Routt.

Names, range and relatives

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

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 222 counties across 18 states; the most are in California (29), New York (25), Oregon (22).

More from the Ericaceae family (55 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Ghost pipe, Rhododendrons and azaleas, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Salal, Pinesap, Trailing arbutus (mayflower).

More Oregon flowers

Salal

Gaultheria shallon

Native

🌼 Blooms in OR: May–July

Pacific rhododendron

Rhododendron macrophyllum

★ WA state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms in OR: May–July

Ghost pipe

Monotropa uniflora

Native

🌼 Blooms in OR: June–August

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PTAN2.
iNaturalist, Pterospora andromedea: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Pterospora (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
State rare and invasive plant lists (10):
Show all 10 state lists
- Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
- Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
- Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
- Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
- Wyoming: Wyoming state designated noxious weeds (W.S. 11-5-102(a)(xi)), as listed by the Wyoming Weed & Pest Council.
- Idaho: Idaho noxious weeds (IDAPA 02.06.09, Section 220).
- Montana: Montana noxious weed list (Admin. R. Mont. 4.5.206–4.5.210).
- Nevada: Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010).
- Nevada: Nevada noxious weeds (NAC 555.010).
- South Dakota: South Dakota statewide noxious weeds (ARSD 12:62:03:01.06).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Pterospora andromedea (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Jo Roberts via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.