Washington in bloom

Washington bloom calendar

Darker = more flowering sightings that month. Based on iNaturalist research-grade observations in Washington 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 (38): Roses (genus Rosa), Thimbleberry, Trailing blackberry, Salmonberry, Ocean spray, Osoberry, Rose spirea, Saskatoon and 30 more
• Asteraceae (14): Common yarrow, Chicory, Bull thistle, Common dandelion, Creeping thistle, Common sunflower, Lawn daisy, Pearly everlasting and 6 more
• Ericaceae (12): Ghost pipe, Salal, Woodland pinedrops, Pinesap, Bearberry, Pipsissewa, Pink mountainheath, Common manzanita and 4 more
• Caprifoliaceae (9): Wild teasel, Twinberry honeysuckle, Common snowberry, Twinflower, Orange honeysuckle, Sitka valerian, Seven-son flower, Weigela and 1 more
• Fabaceae (7): White clover, Red clover, Broad-leaved sweet pea, Scotch broom, Western redbud, Greater bird's-foot-trefoil, American yellowwood
• Oleaceae (7): Purple lilac, Border forsythia, Japanese tree lilac, Meyer lilac, Sweet olive, Chinese fringetree, Hairy lilac
• Viburnaceae (6): Red-berried elder, Japanese snowball viburnum, Arrowwood viburnum, Laurustinus, Koreanspice viburnum, Chinese snowball viburnum
• Liliaceae (6): Checker lily, Glacier lily, Columbia lily, Bride's bonnet, Avalanche lily, Garden tulip
• Asparagaceae (5): Solomon's plume (false Solomon's seal), Star-flowered lily-of-the-valley, Western Lily of the Valley, Small camas, Large-flowered triteleia
• Hydrangeaceae (5): Sweet mock orange, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea, Slender deutzia
• Lamiaceae (4): Common selfheal, Red deadnettle, Bluebeard, Russian sage
• Cornaceae (4): Red osier dogwood, Western bunchberry, Cornelian cherry, Kousa dogwood
• Berberidaceae (3): Oregon grape, Cascade oregon-grape, Vanilla leaf
• Apiaceae (3): Queen Anne's lace (wild carrot), Common cowparsnip, Poison hemlock
• Aquifoliaceae (3): American holly, Winterberry, Japanese holly

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): Broad-leaved sweet pea, Salmonberry, Bearberry, Oregon grape, Common snowberry, Cascade oregon-grape, Scotch broom, Arrowleaf balsamroot, Common ninebark, Common hawthorn, Western redbud, Common manzanita
• High moisture use (suits wet spots) (16): Chicory, Fireweed, Thimbleberry, Common cowparsnip, Salal, Southern magnolia, Ocean spray, Twinberry honeysuckle, Winterberry, Red buckeye, Small camas, Nootka rose and 4 more
• Rapid growth rate (23): Common selfheal, Red clover, Chicory, Common dandelion, Fireweed, Thimbleberry, Trailing blackberry, Common sunflower, Salal, Western columbine, Pearly everlasting, Pacific bleeding heart and 11 more

How we picked these flowers

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

Rare plant list: Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead.
Invasive plant list: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015)