Wildflowers Are Blooming / Find your favorite! |
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a wildflower lover's paradise, offering a huge variety of native species during spring, summer, and fall. Depending on your elevation and north/south orientation, some species can be found blooming over a considerably long period of time. The following list is a highlight of some of the most popular wildflowers, their months in bloom, and places along the Parkway where you can find them. Photograph them, sketch them, or simply enjoy the view, but all of the park resources are protected - leave them for others to enjoy.
Species |
Months in Bloom | Suggested Mileposts |
| Redbud | Late April-May | 54-68 |
| Dutchman's Breeches | April-June | 367.6 Picnic Area, 458.2 |
| Carolina Rhododendron | Late April-June | 308-310, 404-411 |
| Dogwood | May | 6, 85.8 Picnic Area, 230-232, 378-382 |
| Fraser Magnolia | May | 173-174, 252-253 |
| Bluets | May-June | 200.2, 355-368 Picnic Area |
| Wild Geranium | May-June | 84-86, 170-172, 211.6, 375 |
| Small's Groundsel | May-June | 29.1, 85.8 Picnic Area, 330-340 |
| Skunk Cabbage | February-March | 176.1, 185.8, 217.0 |
| Dwarf Iris | March-April | 260.5 |
| Spring Beauty | March-April | Craggy Picnic Area |
| Mayapple | March-April | 76.2-76.4, 296-297, 320.8, 339.5 |
| Serviceberry-Sarvis | March-May | 241-242, 294-297, 368-370 |
| Silver-Bell Tree | March-May | 344.1-355.3 |
| Buttercups | March-June | Common Along Roadsides |
| Crested Dwarf Iris | April-May | 195, 198, 210, 217, 379 |
| Tulip Poplar | April-May | Common in low woods and coves |
| Indian Paintbrush | April-May | 369-371 |
| Solomon's Seal | April-May | Common on moist wooded slopes and in coves |
| Bloodroot | April-May | 85.6, 191-193, 198.7, 294 |
| Pinxter Flower | April-May | 4, 92-97, 145.5, 211.6, 350-351, 412-423 |
| Trillium | April-May | 68-69, 175, 200-216, 339-340 |
| Pinkshell | May-June | 305.2, 342-343, 419-424 |
| Flame Azalea | May-June | 138.6, 144-145, 164-166, 308-310, 412-423 |
| FirePink | May-June | 1-2, 154.5 Picnic Area, 367-375 |
| Bowman's Root | May-June | 24-45, 260, 368-369 |
| Spiraea | June-July | 368-378 |
| Columbine | May-June | 74-75, 339.3 Picnic Area, 370-378 |
| Queen Anne's Lace | May-September | Common along open fields and roadsides |
| Mountain Laurel | Late May-June | 130.5, 162.9, 347.9, 380, 400 |
| Catawba Rhododendron | June | 44.9, 77-83, 280.5, 348-350 |
| Goat's Beard | June | 10-11, 24, 240, 337.6 |
| Butterfly Weed | June-August | 63-65, 238-346 |
| Sourwood | June-July | 102-106, 231-232, 321-327 |
| Coreopsis | June-August | 29.6, 77, 157, 190, 306 |
| Butter and Eggs | June-August | Common along roadsides and waste places |
| Turkscap Lilly | June-August | 187.6, 364-368, 406-411 |
| Mullein | June-Sep | Common Along Roadsides |
| Bull Thistle | Late June-frost | Common Along Roadsides |
| Tall Meadow-Rue | July | 85.8 PA, 155.2, 248 |
| Fleabane | July | Common Along Roadsides |
| Ox-Eye Daisy | July | Common in Fields |
| Black-Eyed Susan | July | Common in Fields |
| Common Milkweek | July-August | 85-86, 167-176 |
| Bergarmont Beebalm | July-Aug | 38.8, 368-374 |
| Tall Coneflower | July-Aug | 36, 161.2, 228.1, 314 |
| Oswego Tea | July-Aug | Common in west areas |
| Bellflower | Jul-Sep | 370-375 |
| Jewel Weed | Aug | Common in wet areas |
| Ironweed | Aug | 245, 248 |
| Joe-Pye-Weed | Aug | 6, 85.8PA, 146, 248, 339.3PA, 357-359 |
| Pokeberry | Aug | 6, 74.7, 151, 376.9 |
| Cardinal Flower | Aug | Infrequently in wet areas |
| Blazing Star | Aug-Sep | 305.1, 369-370 |
| Goldenrod | Sep | Common in fields along roadsides |
| Aster | Sep | Common in fields along roadsides |
| Yellow Ironweed | Sep-Oct | 6, 88, 154.5, 271.9 |