The Blue Ridge Parkway is a wildflower lover’s paradise, offering a huge variety of native species during spring, summer and fall. Photograph them, sketch them, or simply enjoy the view, but all of the park resources are protected – leave them for others to enjoy.
Blue Ridge Parkway Wildflower Bloom Schedule
The following list is a highlight of some of the most popular wildflowers, their months in bloom, and places along the Parkway where you can find them. Depending on your elevation and north/south orientation, some species can be found blooming over a considerably long period of time. As you will notice, peak bloom in Virginia will usually be earlier than in North Carolina due to elevation.
Common Name | Peak Bloom | Milepost Location |
---|---|---|
Allegheny Blackberry | May-June | 6, 167.2, 239.9, 305-315, 339.5, 367.6 |
American Elder | June-July | 29, 85.8 Picnic Area, 136-138, 272-275, 311.2 |
Angelica | Aug-Sep | 294.7, 339.5, 355, Craggy Gardens, Nature Trails |
Aster | Sep | Common in fields and along roadside. |
Bead Lily | May-June | Common in rich, moist deciduous woods. |
Beard-Tongue | June-July | 44.4, 89-91, 154.5 Picnic Area, 254.4, 339-340, 370-372 |
Bellflower | July-Sep | 370-375 |
Bergamot Beebalm | July-Aug | 38.8, 368-374 |
Birdfoot Violet | Mar-May | 147.4, 202, 260.5, 379 |
Black Cohosh | July | 6, 85.8 Picnic Area, 169 Picnic Area, 374 |
Black Locust | Apr-June | 100-123, 367-368, 383 |
Black-Eyed Susan | July | Common in fields and along roadside. |
Bladder Campion | May-Aug | 376-381 |
Blazing Star | Aug-Sep | 305.1, 369-370 |
Bloodroot | Apr-May | 85.6, 191-193, 198.7, 294 |
Bluets | May-June | 200.2, 355-368 Picnic Area |
Boneset | Aug | 29.1, 85.8 Picnic Area, 151, 247, 314 |
Bowman’s Root | May-June | 24-25, 149.5, 260, 332, 368-369 |
Bristly Locust | May-June | 167-174, 308.3, 347.9 |
Bull Thistle | Late June-frost | Common alongroad sides & pastures at lower elevations. |
Butter and Eggs | June-Aug | Common along roadsides and waste places. |
Buttercups | Mar-June | Common along roadside |
Butterfly Weed | June-Aug | 63-65, 238-246 |
Cardinal Flower | Aug | Frequently in wet places |
Carolina Rhododendron | Late Apr-June | 308-310, 404-411 |
Catawba Rhododendron | June | 44.9, 77-83, 130.5, 138.6, 239, 247, 266.8, 348-350, 364.1 |
Columbine | May-July | 74-75, 339.3 Picnic Area, 370-378 |
Common Milkweed | July-Aug | 85-86, 167-176 |
Coreopsis | June-Aug | 29.6, 77, 157, 190, 306 |
Crested Dwarf Iris | Apr-May | 195, 198, 210, 217, 250.8, 273.4, 379 |
Dandelion | Feb-June | Common along roadsides. |
Deptford Pink | June-Aug | Common along grassy roadsides. |
Dodder or Love Vine | Aug-Sep | Common along roadside |
Dogwood | May | 6, 85.8 PA, 154.5 PA, 230-232, 217-219, 378-282 |
Dutchman’s Breeches | Apr-June | 367.6 Picnic Area, 458.2-Heintooga Spur Rd. |
Dwarf Iris | Mar-Apr | 260.5 |
Eastern Redbud | Late Apr-May | 54-68 |
False Hellebore | June-Aug | 364.6, Craggy Gardens Nature Trails |
False Soloman’s Seal | Apr-June | Common along roadside |
Fetterbush | Late Apr-May | 241.1, 379 |
Field Hawkweed | May-June | 6, 78.4, 165.5, 229.5, 325-330 |
Fire Pink | May-June | 1-2, 85.8 Picnic Area, 154.5 241 Picnic Area, 339.3 Picnic Area, 367-375, 404-408 |
Flame Azalea | May-June | 138.6, 144-145, 149.5, 164-166, 217-221, 308-310, 368-380, 412-423 |
Fleabane | July | Common in fields and along roadside. |
Fly Poison | May-July | 210-216, 406-408 |
Foam Flower | Apr-June | 296.9, 339.5, 367.7 Picnic Area |
Fragrant Thimbleberry | June-July | 18, 74.7, 339.3 Picnic Area 369-372, 406-408 |
Fraser Magnolia | May | 173-174, 252-253 |
Fringed Phacelia | Apr-May | 370-375 |
Galax | May-July | Common in deciduous forests, open rocky areas. |
Gentian | Late Aug-frost | 85.8, 363-368 |
Goat’s Beard | June | 10-11, 24, 240, 337.6, 370-375 |
Golden Ragwort | Apr-May | 29.1, 85.8 Picnic Area, 330-340 |
Goldenrod | Sep | Common in fields and along roadside. |
Great Chickweed | Apr-May | Common in rich, moist woods. |
Hawthorne | May-June | 155-176, 365.6, 368 |
Heal All | Apr-frost | Common along roadside |
Indian Paintbrush | Apr-May | 369-371 |
Ironweed | Aug | 245, 248 |
Jack-in-the-Pulpit | Apr-June | Common in woodland areas |
Jewel Weed | Aug | Common along roadside in wet areas. |
Joe-Pye Weed | Aug | 6, 85.8 Picnic Area, 146, 248, 339.3 Picnic Area, 357-359 |
Large Flowered Trillium | May | 3-7, 64-85, 154.5 PA, 168-169, 175, 330-340, 370-375 |
Mayapple | Mar-Apr | 76.2-76.4, 296-297, 315-317, 320.8, 339.5 |
Mountain Ash | June-July (bloom) Sep-Oct (berry) | Higher elevation spruce-fir forests, Mt. Mitchell, Mt. Pisgah. |
Mountain Laurel | Late May-June | 130.5, 162.9, 347.9, 380, 400 |
Mullein | June-Sep | Common along roadside on dry banks. |
New Jersey Tea | May-June | 42-43, 91-100, 138.4, 197, 211, 241, 328.6 |
Nodding Lady Tresses | Aug-frost | 365-368 |
Oriental Bittersweet | May-June Aug-Sep (berry) | 242.4, 383, 394, 396 |
Oswego Tea | July-Aug | Common in wet areas at higher elevations. |
Oxeye Daisy | July | Common in fields and along roadside. |
Phlox | May-July | 4, 79-82, 163-164, 200-202, 219-221, 339.3 Picnic Area, 370-380 |
Pinkshell | May-June | 305.2, 342-343, 349-351, 419-424 |
Pinxter Flower | Apr-May | 4, 92-97, 138.6, 145.5, 154.5 PA, 162.9, 211.6, 217-222, 350-351, 412-423 |
Pokeweed | Aug | 6, 74.7, 151, 239.9, 323, 376.9 |
Princess Tree | Apr-May | 100-123, 381-382, 396, 400 |
Queen Anne’s Lace | May-Sep | Common along open fields and roadside. |
Red Berried Elder | May-June | 355-360, 369, 412-425, higher elevations in rich, moist woods. |
Serviceberry / Sarvis | Mar-May | 241-242, 294-297, 308.3, 347.6, 368-370 |
Silver-Bell Tree | Mar-May | 344.1-355.3 |
Skunk Cabbage | Feb-Mar | 176.1, 185.8, 217.0 |
Small’s Ragwort | May-June | 29.1, 85.8 Picnic Area, 330-340 |
Sneezeweed | Aug-Sep | 29.1, 85.8 Picnic Area, 176.1, 229, 313-314 |
Soloman’s Seal | Apr-May | Common on moist wooded slopes, coves. |
Sourwood | June-July | 102-106, 231-232, 321-327, 375-380 |
Spiraca | June-July | 368-378 |
Spring Beauty | Mar-Apr | Craggy Picnic Area |
Squirrel Corn | Apr-May | Craggy Picnic Area, 458.2- Heintooga Spur Rd. |
Staghorn Sumac | May-June | Common along roadside in dry, rocky areas. |
Starry Campion | July-Sep | 378-380 |
Sundrop | June | 8-10, 89-91, 229, 270.6, 351-352, 355-360, 370-375 |
Tall Coneflower | July-Aug | 36, 161.2, 228.1, 314, 359-368 |
Tall Meadow-Rue | July | 85.8 PA, 155.2, 248 |
Tree of Heaven | June, July-Oct (berry) | 382, common along roadside in Virginia. |
Trillium | Apr-May | 175, 200-216, 339-340, 364.6 |
Tulip Poplar | Apr-May | Common in low woods and coves. |
Turks-cap Lily | June-Aug | 187.6, 364-368, 406-411 |
Viper’s Bugloss | June | 14732 |
Virgin’s Bower | Aug | 13.1, 85.8 Picnic Area, 176.1, 285-289, 313-314 |
Virginia Spiderwort | Late May-July | 85.8 Sharp Top Trail, 380-381 |
White Rhododendron | June-July | 162.9, 169 Picnic Area, 232-233, 339.3 PA, 352-353, 455-456 |
White Snakeroot | July-Oct | Common along roadside. |
Wild Geranium | May-June | 84-86, 170-172, 211.6, 375 |
Wild Strawberry | Mar-June | Common along roadside |
Witch Hazel | Late Sep-Oct | 130.5, 293.3, 295.4, 305.1, 308.3, 339.5, 347.6, 367.7 |
Witch Hobble (Hobblebush) | Apr-June, Aug for fruit | 295.5, 362-367, higher elevations in rich, moist woods. |
Yarrow | July | Common in fields and along roadside. |
Yellow Ironweed | Sep-Oct | 6, 88, 154.5, 271.9, 330.8 |
Photo Gallery of Blue Ridge Parkway Wildflowers
Recommended Blue Ridge Mountain Wildflower Guidebooks
The stunning wildlife along the Blue Ridge Parkway attracts more than 14 million annual visitors from near and far for viewing and photographing opportunities. This information-packed, pocket-size field guide features more than 200 species of mammals, birds, insects, fish, wildflowers, mushrooms and more in a convenient, portable package.
Book Details Buy NowA field guide to common wildflowers of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, including Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Chattahoochee National Forest. Full-color photographs and line drawings will help you identify over 300 common wildflower species.
Book Details Buy NowWildflowers of the Appalachian Trail, is a necessary companion for anyone interested in the wildflowers found along the fables 2,175-mile-long Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
Book Details Buy NowUsing full-color photography and expertly crafted prose, Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains turns a day hike or drive through our nation’s most beautiful and rugged expanse of forested mountains into an object lesson in the stunning beauty of nature.
Book Details Buy NowResources
Plants for a Future Database
(http://pfaf.org/user/plantsearch.aspx)
PFAF is a charitable company that provides information on edible and otherwise useful plants suitable for growing outdoors in a temperate climate. The Plant Database was begun over ten years ago and currently consists of approximately 7.000 plants.
U.S. Department of Agriculture PLANTS Database
(http://plants.usda.gov/)
The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories.
U.S. Forest Service Celebrating Wildflowers
(http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/)
This site is dedicated to the enjoyment of the thousands of wildflowers growing on our national forests and grasslands, and to educating the public about the many values of native plants.