New York in bloom

New York bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in New York 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 (30): Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Wineberry, Black raspberry, White meadowsweet, Purple-flowered raspberry, Common ninebark and 22 more
• Asteraceae (16): Common yarrow, White snakeroot, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion, Creeping thistle, New England aster and 8 more
• Lamiaceae (9): Common selfheal, Ground-ivy, Red deadnettle, Wild bergamot, Common motherwort, Carpet bugle, Wild basil, Bluebeard and 1 more
• Ericaceae (9): Ghost pipe, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), American wintergreen, Catawba rhododendron, Japanese andromeda, Satsuki azalea and 1 more
• Viburnaceae (9): American black elderberry, Mapleleaf viburnum, Hobblebush, Japanese snowball viburnum, Nannyberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Laurustinus, Koreanspice viburnum and 1 more
• Fabaceae (8): White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, White sweetclover, Western redbud, American yellowwood
• Caprifoliaceae (7): Amur honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, Wild teasel, Common snowberry, Seven-son flower, Weigela, Glossy abelia
• Oleaceae (7): Purple lilac, Border forsythia, Japanese tree lilac, Meyer lilac, Sweet olive, Chinese fringetree, Hairy lilac
• Aquifoliaceae (5): American holly, Yaupon holly, Winterberry, Inkberry, Japanese holly
• Hydrangeaceae (5): Sweet mock orange, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea, Slender deutzia
• Apocynaceae (4): Common milkweed, Butterfly milkweed, Lesser periwinkle, Swamp milkweed
• Ranunculaceae (4): Lesser celandine, Red columbine, Marsh marigold, White baneberry
• Caryophyllaceae (4): White campion, Common soapwort, Deptford pink, Bladder campion
• Hamamelidaceae (4): American witch-hazel, Dwarf fothergilla, Chinese fringe flower, Hybrid witch hazel
• Asparagaceae (3): Solomon's plume (false Solomon's seal), Canada mayflower, Common star-of-Bethlehem

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 (13): Eastern redbud, Butterfly milkweed, Mountain laurel, Purple crownvetch, White sweetclover, Mapleleaf viburnum, Yaupon holly, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Common soapwort, Common snowberry, New Jersey tea, Common ninebark and 1 more
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (20): Chicory, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Eastern skunk cabbage, Buttonbush, Wild bergamot, Pickerelweed, Bird's-foot trefoil, Swamp milkweed, Canadian bunchberry, Marsh marigold, Carpet bugle, Southern magnolia and 8 more
• Rapid growth rate (20): American pokeweed, Common selfheal, Red clover, Chicory, Japanese honeysuckle, Black-eyed Susan, Common dandelion, Dame's rocket, American black elderberry, Black cherry, White sweetclover, Black raspberry and 8 more

How we picked these flowers

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

Rare plant list: New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3)
Invasive plant list: New York prohibited and regulated invasive species (6 NYCRR Part 575)