California in bloom

California bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in California 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 (25): Roses (genus Rosa), Toyon, Thimbleberry, Trailing blackberry, Armenian blackberry, California wild rose, Common ninebark, Downy serviceberry and 17 more
• Asteraceae (17): Common yarrow, Bull thistle, Brittlebush, Common sunflower, California brittlebush, Lawn daisy, Golden yarrow, Milk thistle and 9 more
• Fabaceae (11): White clover, Common vetch, Hairy vetch, Deerweed, Small melilot, Pacific pea, Rose clover, Tomcat clover and 3 more
• Asparagaceae (6): Blue dicks, Chaparral yucca, Mojave yucca, Wavy-leafed soap plant, Western joshua tree, Ithuriel's spear
• Boraginaceae (6): Pacific hound's tongue, Distant phacelia, Alkali heliotrope, Menzies' baby blue eyes, California yerba santa, Thick-leaved yerba santa
• Oleaceae (6): Purple lilac, Border forsythia, Japanese tree lilac, Meyer lilac, Sweet olive, Chinese fringetree
• Lamiaceae (5): Black sage, White horehound, Chia, White sage, Russian sage
• Ericaceae (5): Snowplant, Common manzanita, Catawba rhododendron, Japanese andromeda, Satsuki azalea
• Viburnaceae (5): Blue elder, Japanese snowball viburnum, Laurustinus, Koreanspice viburnum, Chinese snowball viburnum
• Caprifoliaceae (4): Common snowberry, Pink honeysuckle, Weigela, Glossy abelia
• Aquifoliaceae (4): American holly, Yaupon holly, Inkberry, Japanese holly
• Liliaceae (4): Checker lily, White globe lily, Yellow mariposa lily, Garden tulip
• Magnoliaceae (4): Southern magnolia, Banana shrub, Star magnolia, Saucer magnolia
• Hydrangeaceae (4): Sweet mock orange, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea
• Apiaceae (3): Common cowparsnip, Poison hemlock, Fennel

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 (12): California buckwheat, Brittlebush, Yaupon holly, Blue elder, Chaparral yucca, Common snowberry, Apricot globemallow, Mediterranean stork's-bill, California yerba santa, Common ninebark, Western redbud, Common manzanita
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (8): Thimbleberry, Common cowparsnip, Common vetch, Southern magnolia, Red buckeye, California wild rose, Inkberry, Bridal veil spirea
• Rapid growth rate (19): Thimbleberry, Brittlebush, Common vetch, Blue elder, Hairy vetch, Trailing blackberry, Common sunflower, Western columbine, Miner's lettuce, Small melilot, Apricot globemallow, Mediterranean stork's-bill and 7 more

How we picked these flowers

We started from iNaturalist's research-grade sightings in California, 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 California's official flowers, plus flowering shrubs and trees with at least 3 garden or 10 wild iNaturalist records in California and popular garden flowers that iNaturalist users record growing in California. Every flower needs a CC0 or CC BY photo.

Rare plant list: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026)
Invasive plant list: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500)