North Carolina in bloom

North Carolina bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in North Carolina 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 (27): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Common ninebark, Downy serviceberry, Black chokeberry, Sweet cherry and 19 more
• Asteraceae (10): Common dandelion, Firewheel, Wingstem, Cutleaf coneflower, Common sunflower, Bitterweed, Dogfennel, Purple coneflower and 2 more
• Ericaceae (10): Ghost pipe, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Trailing arbutus (mayflower), Great rhododendron, Sourwood, Flame azalea, Catawba rhododendron and 2 more
• Fabaceae (9): White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Partridge pea, Common vetch, Persian silk tree, Chinese bushclover, Kudzu and 1 more
• Lamiaceae (9): Common selfheal, Ground-ivy, Red deadnettle, American beautyberry, Henbit deadnettle, Lyreleaf sage, Scarlet beebalm, Bluebeard and 1 more
• Rubiaceae (7): Partridgeberry, Buttonbush, Azure bluet, Field madder, Summer bluet, Thyme-leaved bluet, Gardenia
• Caprifoliaceae (6): Japanese honeysuckle, Common snowberry, Coral honeysuckle, Seven-son flower, Weigela, Glossy abelia
• Viburnaceae (6): American black elderberry, Japanese snowball viburnum, Arrowwood viburnum, Laurustinus, Koreanspice viburnum, Chinese snowball viburnum
• Oleaceae (6): Purple lilac, Border forsythia, Japanese tree lilac, Meyer lilac, Sweet olive, Chinese fringetree
• Aquifoliaceae (5): American holly, Yaupon holly, Winterberry, Inkberry, Japanese holly
• Orchidaceae (5): Pink lady's slipper, Crane-fly orchid, Downy rattlesnake plantain, Showy orchis, Putty root
• Hydrangeaceae (5): Sweet mock orange, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea, Slender deutzia
• Apocynaceae (4): Common milkweed, Butterfly milkweed, Lesser periwinkle, Greater periwinkle
• Liliaceae (4): Cucumber root, Dimpled trout lily, Turk's-cap lily, Garden tulip
• Magnoliaceae (4): Southern magnolia, Banana shrub, Star magnolia, Saucer magnolia

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): Eastern redbud, American beautyberry, Butterfly milkweed, American trumpet vine, Firewheel, Mountain laurel, Yaupon holly, Cutleaf coneflower, Great rhododendron, Common snowberry, New Jersey tea, Common ninebark
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (14): Jack-in-the-pulpit, American beautyberry, Buttonbush, Common vetch, Heavenly bamboo, Southern magnolia, Winterberry, Red buckeye, Inkberry, Red chokeberry, Green hawthorn, Bridal veil spirea and 2 more
• Rapid growth rate (21): American pokeweed, Common selfheal, Red clover, Japanese honeysuckle, American trumpet vine, Common dandelion, Firewheel, American black elderberry, Black cherry, Partridge pea, Common vetch, Persian silk tree and 9 more

How we picked these flowers

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

Rare plant list: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301)
Invasive plant list: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702)