Alaska in bloom

Alaska bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in Alaska marked “Flowering,” as of October 17–23, 2026. Garden flowers have few records because research-grade data leaves out planted ones.

Families on this list

The plant families with the most flowers on this list, from iNaturalist taxonomy. Within each family, the most-observed flowers come first.

• Rosaceae (19): Roses (genus Rosa), Salmonberry, Shrubby cinquefoil, Large-leaved avens, Goatsbeard, Common ninebark, Marsh cinquefoil, Partridgefoot and 11 more
• Ericaceae (14): Bearberry, Lingonberry, Bog wintergreen, One-sided wintergreen, Bog bilberry, Mock azalea, Black crowberry, One-flowered wintergreen and 6 more
• Asteraceae (9): Common yarrow, Common dandelion, Common sunflower, Orange hawkweed, Arctic butterbur, Siberian aster, Western rattlesnake root, Seabeach groundsel and 1 more
• Fabaceae (7): White clover, Red clover, Seaside pea, Alsike clover, Nootka lupine, Alpine milkvetch, Alpine sweet-vetch
• Ranunculaceae (7): Western columbine, Marsh marigold, Red baneberry, Creeping buttercup, Larkspurleaf monkshood, One-flowered anemone, Spleenwortleaf goldthread
• Orobanchaceae (5): Northern groundcone, Unalaska paintbrush, Whorled lousewort, Labrador lousewort, Woolly lousewort
• Saxifragaceae (5): Threeleaf foamflower, Leatherleaf saxifrage, Purple saxifrage, Prickly saxifrage, Richardson's brookfoam
• Caprifoliaceae (3): Common snowberry, Twinflower, Weigela
• Liliaceae (3): White twisted-stalk, Rice root, Garden tulip
• Orchidaceae (3): White bog orchid, Pacific coralroot, Heartleaf twayblade
• Cornaceae (3): Canadian bunchberry, Western bunchberry, Swedish cornel
• Hydrangeaceae (3): Sweet mock orange, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea

Shortlists by growing conditions

Flowers on this list whose USDA PLANTS characteristics data gives the rating shown. USDA only rates some species, so these lists are not complete.

• High drought tolerance (4): Salmonberry, Bearberry, Common snowberry, Common ninebark
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (12): Fireweed, Common cowparsnip, Canadian bunchberry, Marsh marigold, Alsike clover, Western yellow pond-lily, Bogbean, Prickly wild rose, Cloudberry, Alpine bistort, Wandering daisy, Bridal veil spirea
• Rapid growth rate (17): Red clover, Common dandelion, Fireweed, Common sunflower, Western columbine, Creeping buttercup, Alsike clover, Western yellow pond-lily, European mountain ash, Squashberry, Prickly wild rose, Nootka lupine and 5 more

How we picked these flowers

We started from iNaturalist's research-grade sightings in Alaska, most-observed first, left out grasses, sedges, trees and other plants with tiny or wind-pollinated flowers (plus poison ivy), kept at most three species per genus, and added Alaska's official flowers, plus flowering shrubs and trees with at least 3 garden or 10 wild iNaturalist records in Alaska and popular garden flowers that iNaturalist users record growing in Alaska. Every flower needs a CC0 or CC BY photo.

Rare plant list: Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead.
Invasive plant list: Alaska prohibited and restricted noxious weeds (11 AAC 34.020)