Tennessee in bloom

Tennessee bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in Tennessee 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 (20): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Common ninebark, Downy serviceberry, Black chokeberry, Sweet cherry, Red chokeberry and 12 more
• Asteraceae (11): White snakeroot, Chicory, Late boneset, Wingstem, Common sunflower, Frostweed, Philadelphia fleabane, Butterweed and 3 more
• Fabaceae (9): White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Partridge pea, Common vetch, Persian silk tree, Chinese bushclover, Hop trefoil and 1 more
• Lamiaceae (7): Common selfheal, Ground-ivy, Red deadnettle, Henbit deadnettle, Lyreleaf sage, Beefsteak plant, Russian sage
• Ericaceae (7): Ghost pipe, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Great rhododendron, Catawba rhododendron, Japanese andromeda, Satsuki azalea
• Viburnaceae (7): American black elderberry, Mapleleaf viburnum, Japanese snowball viburnum, Arrowwood viburnum, Laurustinus, Koreanspice viburnum, Chinese snowball viburnum
• Rubiaceae (6): Partridgeberry, Buttonbush, Azure bluet, Field madder, Summer bluet, Gardenia
• Oleaceae (6): Purple lilac, Border forsythia, Japanese tree lilac, Meyer lilac, Sweet olive, Chinese fringetree
• Caprifoliaceae (5): Amur honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, Seven-son flower, Weigela, Glossy abelia
• Aquifoliaceae (5): American holly, Yaupon holly, Winterberry, Inkberry, Japanese holly
• Ranunculaceae (5): Rue anemone, Red columbine, White baneberry, Sharp-lobed hepatica, Dwarf larkspur
• Hydrangeaceae (5): Wild hydrangea, Sweet mock orange, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea
• Orchidaceae (4): Pink lady's slipper, Crane-fly orchid, Downy rattlesnake plantain, Showy orchis
• Campanulaceae (4): Cardinal flower, Great blue lobelia, Tall bellflower, Downy lobelia
• Apocynaceae (3): Common milkweed, Butterfly milkweed, Lesser periwinkle

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): Eastern redbud, Butterfly milkweed, American trumpet vine, Mountain laurel, Mapleleaf viburnum, Yaupon holly, Great rhododendron, New Jersey tea, Common ninebark
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (16): Chicory, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Buttonbush, Virginia bluebells, Common vetch, Heavenly bamboo, Southern magnolia, Butterweed, Winterberry, Red buckeye, Inkberry, Red chokeberry and 4 more
• Rapid growth rate (18): American pokeweed, Common selfheal, Red clover, Chicory, Japanese honeysuckle, American trumpet vine, American black elderberry, Partridge pea, Blue phlox, Common vetch, Persian silk tree, Common sunflower and 6 more

How we picked these flowers

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

Rare plant list: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act)
Invasive plant list: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02)