Connecticut in bloom

Connecticut bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in Connecticut 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 (26): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Black cherry, Wineberry, Black raspberry, White meadowsweet, Rugosa rose, Common ninebark and 18 more
• Asteraceae (13): Common yarrow, White snakeroot, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion, Common sunflower, Common boneset and 5 more
• Ericaceae (9): Ghost pipe, Striped wintergreen, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Pinesap, American wintergreen, Catawba rhododendron, Japanese andromeda, Satsuki azalea and 1 more
• Ranunculaceae (8): Lesser celandine, Rue anemone, Red columbine, Wood anemone, Marsh marigold, White baneberry, Round-lobed hepatica, Virgin's bower
• Fabaceae (7): White clover, Red clover, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, American hog-peanut, American groundnut, American yellowwood
• Viburnaceae (7): American black elderberry, Mapleleaf viburnum, Japanese snowball viburnum, Nannyberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Koreanspice viburnum, Chinese snowball viburnum
• Oleaceae (6): Purple lilac, Border forsythia, Japanese tree lilac, Meyer lilac, Sweet olive, Chinese fringetree
• Lamiaceae (5): Common selfheal, Ground-ivy, Red deadnettle, Carpet bugle, Russian sage
• Caprifoliaceae (5): Japanese honeysuckle, Common snowberry, Seven-son flower, Weigela, Glossy abelia
• Hydrangeaceae (5): Sweet mock orange, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea, Slender deutzia
• Rubiaceae (4): Partridgeberry, Buttonbush, Azure bluet, Gardenia
• Aquifoliaceae (4): American holly, Winterberry, Inkberry, Japanese holly
• Plantaginaceae (4): Butter-and-eggs (common toadflax), White turtlehead, Heath speedwell, Canada toadflax
• Asparagaceae (3): Solomon's plume (false Solomon's seal), Canada mayflower, Common star-of-Bethlehem
• Apocynaceae (3): Common milkweed, Butterfly milkweed, Lesser periwinkle

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 (9): Butterfly milkweed, Purple crownvetch, Mapleleaf viburnum, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Common soapwort, Rugosa rose, Common snowberry, New Jersey tea, Common ninebark
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (18): Chicory, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Eastern skunk cabbage, Buttonbush, Pickerelweed, Bird's-foot trefoil, Marsh marigold, Carpet bugle, Southern magnolia, Winterberry, Red buckeye, Inkberry and 6 more
• Rapid growth rate (19): American pokeweed, Common selfheal, Red clover, Chicory, Japanese honeysuckle, Black-eyed Susan, Common dandelion, Dame's rocket, American black elderberry, Black cherry, Black raspberry, Common sunflower and 7 more

How we picked these flowers

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

Rare plant list: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list)
Invasive plant list: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d)