South Carolina in bloom

South Carolina bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in South 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 (19): Roses (genus Rosa), Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Southern dewberry, Carolina laurelcherry, Common ninebark, Downy serviceberry, Red chokeberry and 11 more
• Fabaceae (13): White clover, Eastern redbud, Common vetch, Persian silk tree, Chinese bushclover, American groundnut, Eastern coral bean, Butterfly pea and 5 more
• Asteraceae (12): Firewheel, White beggarticks, Common sunflower, Bristle thistle, Butterweed, Bitterweed, Dogfennel, Purple coneflower and 4 more
• Lamiaceae (9): Common selfheal, Red deadnettle, American beautyberry, Henbit deadnettle, Lyreleaf sage, Spotted horsemint, Helmet skullcap, Florida hedgenettle and 1 more
• Ericaceae (9): Ghost pipe, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Sourwood, Sparkleberry, Fetterbush lyonia, Catawba rhododendron, Japanese andromeda and 1 more
• Viburnaceae (6): American black elderberry, Japanese snowball viburnum, Arrowwood viburnum, Laurustinus, Koreanspice viburnum, Chinese snowball viburnum
• Rubiaceae (5): Partridgeberry, Buttonbush, Field madder, Tiny bluet, Gardenia
• Aquifoliaceae (5): American holly, Yaupon holly, Winterberry, Inkberry, Japanese holly
• Magnoliaceae (5): Southern magnolia, Sweetbay magnolia, Banana shrub, Star magnolia, Saucer magnolia
• Caprifoliaceae (4): Japanese honeysuckle, Coral honeysuckle, Weigela, Glossy abelia
• Amaryllidaceae (4): Crowpoison, Red spider lily, Atamasco lily, Daffodil
• Oleaceae (4): Purple lilac, Border forsythia, Sweet olive, Chinese fringetree
• Hydrangeaceae (4): Sweet mock orange, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea
• Apocynaceae (3): Butterfly milkweed, Greater periwinkle, Oleander
• Iridaceae (3): Blue pigroot, Southern blue flag, Dwarf iris

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 (11): Eastern redbud, American beautyberry, Butterfly milkweed, American trumpet vine, Firewheel, Mountain laurel, Yaupon holly, Chinaberry, New Jersey tea, Common ninebark, Oleander
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (18): Jack-in-the-pulpit, American beautyberry, Buttonbush, Pickerelweed, Common vetch, Heavenly bamboo, Southern magnolia, Butterweed, Winterberry, Red buckeye, Inkberry, Sweetbay magnolia and 6 more
• Rapid growth rate (19): American pokeweed, Common selfheal, Japanese honeysuckle, American trumpet vine, Firewheel, American black elderberry, Black cherry, Common vetch, Persian silk tree, Common sunflower, Heavenly bamboo, Chinaberry and 7 more

How we picked these flowers

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

Rare plant list: South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead.
Invasive plant list: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry)