Pennsylvania in bloom

Pennsylvania bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in Pennsylvania 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, Wineberry, Black raspberry, Purple-flowered raspberry, Common ninebark and 19 more
• Asteraceae (15): Common yarrow, White snakeroot, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion, Creeping thistle, Late boneset and 7 more
• Lamiaceae (8): Common selfheal, Ground-ivy, Red deadnettle, Wild bergamot, Carpet bugle, Wild basil, Bluebeard, Russian sage
• Ericaceae (8): Ghost pipe, Striped wintergreen, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Great rhododendron, Catawba rhododendron, Japanese andromeda, Satsuki azalea, Redvein enkianthus
• Viburnaceae (8): American black elderberry, Mapleleaf viburnum, Japanese snowball viburnum, Nannyberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Laurustinus, Koreanspice viburnum, Chinese snowball viburnum
• Caprifoliaceae (7): Amur honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, Wild teasel, Common snowberry, Seven-son flower, Weigela, Glossy abelia
• Fabaceae (6): White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Bird's-foot trefoil, American hog-peanut, American yellowwood
• Oleaceae (6): Purple lilac, Border forsythia, Japanese tree lilac, Meyer lilac, Chinese fringetree, Hairy lilac
• Brassicaceae (5): Garlic mustard, Dame's rocket, Cut-leaved toothwort, Bitter wintercress, Narrow-leaved bittercress
• 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
• Polygonaceae (4): American jumpseed, Low smartweed, Japanese knotweed, Mile-a-minute weed
• 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 (10): Eastern redbud, Butterfly milkweed, Mapleleaf viburnum, Yaupon holly, Cutleaf coneflower, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Great rhododendron, Common snowberry, New Jersey tea, Common ninebark
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (17): Chicory, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Eastern skunk cabbage, Wild bergamot, Virginia bluebells, Bird's-foot trefoil, Swamp milkweed, Carpet bugle, Southern magnolia, Winterberry, Red buckeye, Inkberry and 5 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, Blue phlox, Black raspberry and 8 more

How we picked these flowers

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

Rare plant list: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023)
Invasive plant list: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture)