Rhode Island in bloom

Rhode Island bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in Rhode Island 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 (21): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Black cherry, Wineberry, Black raspberry, White meadowsweet, Rugosa rose, Steeplebush and 13 more
• Asteraceae (15): Common yarrow, White snakeroot, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion, Common sunflower, Common boneset and 7 more
• Ericaceae (12): Ghost pipe, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Pinesap, Sheep laurel, American wintergreen, Swamp azalea and 4 more
• Fabaceae (8): White clover, Red clover, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, American groundnut, Rabbitfoot clover, Seaside pea, American yellowwood
• Viburnaceae (6): American black elderberry, Mapleleaf viburnum, Japanese snowball viburnum, Nannyberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Koreanspice viburnum
• Apocynaceae (5): Common milkweed, Butterfly milkweed, Lesser periwinkle, Swamp milkweed, Black swallow-wort
• Caprifoliaceae (5): Japanese honeysuckle, Morrow's honeysuckle, Seven-son flower, Weigela, Glossy abelia
• Asparagaceae (4): Solomon's plume (false Solomon's seal), Canada mayflower, Common star-of-Bethlehem, Lily of the valley
• Lamiaceae (4): Common selfheal, Ground-ivy, Red deadnettle, Russian sage
• Aquifoliaceae (4): American holly, Winterberry, Inkberry, Japanese holly
• Oleaceae (4): Purple lilac, Border forsythia, Japanese tree lilac, Meyer lilac
• Hydrangeaceae (4): Sweet mock orange, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea
• Rubiaceae (3): Partridgeberry, Buttonbush, Azure bluet
• Solanaceae (3): Carolina horsenettle, Bittersweet nightshade, Jimsonweed
• Liliaceae (3): Cucumber root, Turk's-cap lily, Garden tulip

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, Mountain laurel, Purple crownvetch, Mapleleaf viburnum, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Common soapwort, Rugosa rose, New Jersey tea, Common ninebark
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (17): Chicory, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Eastern skunk cabbage, Buttonbush, Pickerelweed, Bird's-foot trefoil, Swamp milkweed, Southern magnolia, Winterberry, Inkberry, Swamp loosestrife, Carolina sea lavender and 5 more
• Rapid growth rate (18): American pokeweed, Common selfheal, Red clover, Chicory, Japanese honeysuckle, Black-eyed Susan, Common dandelion, American black elderberry, Black cherry, Black raspberry, Common sunflower, American groundnut and 6 more

How we picked these flowers

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

Rare plant list: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law)
Invasive plant list: We didn't find an official Rhode Island list of regulated invasive land plants, so we don't show state invasive warnings for Rhode Island.