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View or download a Blue Ridge Parkway Bloom Calendar with Milepost Locations listed for where to find different wildflowers and shrubs, or view an updated more printer-friendly bloom calendar here:  https://www.nps.gov/blri/learn/nature/upload/Blue-Ridge-Parkway-Bloom-Calendar.pdf

Allegheny Blackberry
Allegheny Blackberry
Blooms: May-June

Rubus allegheniesis

Can be found commonly in both Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 6, 167.2, 239.9, 305-315, 339.5, 367.6

American Elder
Blooms: June-July

Sambucus canadensis

Can be found commonly in both Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 29, 85.8, 136-138, 272-275, 311.2

Angelica, Mountain Angelica, Filmy Angelica
Angelica
Blooms: August-September

Angelica triquinata

Commonly found in North Carolina

Mileposts 294.7, 339.5, 355

Also at Craggy Gardens and Nature Trails

Monarchs feed on native plants.
Aster
Blooms: September

Aster spp.

Common in fields and along roadside.

Bead Lily, Speckled Wood Lily
Blooms: May-June

Clintonia umbellulata

Common in rich, moist deciduous woods.

Beard Tongue
Beard-Tongue
Blooms: June-July

Penstemon spp.

Grows commonly in both Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 44.4, 89-91, 154.5 PA, 254.4, 339-340, 370-372

Bellflower
Bellflower
Blooms: July-September

Campanula americana

Found commonly in North Carolina

Mileposts 370-375

Red Bee Balm
Bergamot Beebalm
Blooms: July-August

Monarda fistulosa

Found in Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 38.8, 368-374

Birdfoot Violet
Birdfoot Violet
Blooms: March-May

Viola pedata

Grows in both Virginia and North Carolina.

Mileposts 147.4, 202, 260.5, 379

Black Cohosh
Blooms: July

Cimicifuga racemosa

Found in both Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 6, 85.8, 169, 374

Black Locust blooms
Black Locust
Blooms: April-June

Robinia pseudo-acacia

Common in both Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 100-123, 367-368, 383

Field of Coneflower blooms
Black-Eyed Susan or Coneflower
Blooms: July

Rudbeckia hirta

Common in fields and along the roadside.

Bladder Campion
Blooms: May-Aug

Silene cucubalus

Found in North Carolina

Mileposts 376-381

Blazing Star
Blooms: August-September

Liatris spicata

Found in North Carolina

Mileposts 305.1, 369-370

Bloodroot
Bloodroot
Blooms: April-May

Sanguinara canadensis

Found in both Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 85.6, 191-193, 198.7, 294

A cluster of tiny purplish bluets is framed by greenery.
Bluets
Blooms: May-June

Houstonia spp.

Found in Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 200.2, 355-368

 

Boneset
Blooms: August

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Found in Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 29.1, 85.8 PA, 151, 247, 314

Bowman’s Root
Blooms: May-June

Gillenia trifoliata

Found in Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 24-25, 149.5, 260, 332, 368-369

 

Bristly Locust
Blooms: May-June

Robinia hispida

Found in Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 167-174, 308.3, 347.9

Bull Thistle
Blooms: Late June-Frost

Cirsium vulgare

Common along roadsides and pastures at lower elevations. Non-native, but naturalized. Is classified as invasive in some states because it invades pastures and other edges, crowding out native plants.

 

Butter and Eggs
Blooms: June-August

Linaria vulgaris

Common along roadside.

 

 

Buttercup
Buttercups
Blooms: March-June

Rannunculus hispidus

Common along roadside.

 

Butterfly Weed
Blooms: June-August

Asclepias tuberosa

Found in both Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 63-65, 238-246

Cardinal Flower
Cardinal Flower
Blooms: August

Lobelia cardinalis

Seen infrequently in wet places

Carolina Rhododendron
Carolina Rhododendron
Blooms: Late April-June

Rhododendron minus

Found in North Carolina

Mileposts 308-310, 404-411

Blue Ridge Parkway: Craggy Gardens
Catawba Rhododendron
Blooms: June

Rhododendron catawbiense

Found in both Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 44.9, 77-83, 130.5, 138.6, 239, 247, 266.8, 348-350, 364.1

Columbine
Columbine
Blooms: May-July

Aquilegia canadensis

Found in Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 74-75, 339.3, 370-378

Milkweed
Common Milkweed
Blooms: July-August

Asclepias syriaca

Common in Virginia, also found in North Carolina

Mileposts 85-86, 167-176

Coreopsis
Coreopsis
Blooms: June-August

Coreopsis pubescens

Found in Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 29.6, 77, 157, 190, 306

Dandelion
Dandelion
Blooms: February-June

Taraxacum officinale

Common along roadside

Deptford Pink by Alex Armstrong
Deptford Pink
Blooms: June-August

Dianthus aemeria

Common along grassy roadsides

Dodder or Love Vine
Dodder or Love Vine
Blooms: August-September

Cuscuta rostrata

Common along roadside

Dogwood near Parkway bridge
Dogwood
Blooms: May

Cornus florida

Found commonly in Virginia and North Carolina

Mileposts 6, 85.6, 154.5, 230-232, 217-219, 378-282

Dutchman’s Breeches
Blooms: April-June

Dicentra cucullaria

Mileposts 367.6, 458.2

Dwarf Iris
Dwarf Iris
Blooms: March-April

Iris Verna

Milepost 260.5

False Hellebore
Blooms: June-August

Veratrum viride var. viride

Mileposts: 364.6, Craggy Gardens

Fetterbush or Dog Hobble
Blooms: Late April-May

Leucothoe racemosa

Also known as swamp doghobble.

Mileposts 241.1, 379

Field Hawkweed
Field Hawkweed
Blooms: May-June

Hieracium pratense

Mileposts 6, 78.4, 165.5, 229.5, 325-330

Fire Pink
Fire Pink
Blooms: May-June

Silene virginica

Mileposts 1-2, 85.8, 154.5, 241, 339.3, 367-375, 404-408

Flame Azalea
Flame Azalea
Blooms: May-June

Rhododendron calendulaceum

Mileposts 138.6, 144-145, 149.5, 164-166, 217-221, 308-310, 368-380, 412-423

Fleabane
Fleabane
Blooms: July

Erigeron strigosus

Found commonly in fields and along roadside

Fly Poison
Blooms: May-July

Amianthium muscaetoxicum

Mileposts 210-216, 406-408

Foamflower
Foam Flower
Blooms: April-June

Tiarella cordifolia

Mileposts 296.9, 339.5, 367.7

Fragrant Thimbleberry
Blooms: June-July

Rubus odoratus

Mileposts 18, 74.7, 339.3, 369-372, 406-408

Fraser Magnolia
Blooms: May

Magnolia fraseri

Mileposts 173-174, 252-253

Fringed Phacelia
Blooms: April-May

Phacelia fimbriata

Mileposts 370-375

Galax
Blooms: May-July

Galax aphylla

Common in deciduous forests, open rocky areas

Gentian
Gentian
Blooms: Late August-Frost

Gentiana quinquefolia

Mileposts 85.8, 363-368

Goat’s Beard
Blooms: June

Aruncus dioicus

Mileposts: 10-11, 24, 240, 337.6, 370-375

 

Yellow flowers of a grolden groundsel or ragwort plant
Golden Groundsel or Golden Ragwort
Blooms: April-May

Packera aurea

Mileposts 29.1, 85.8, 330-340

Goldenrod
Blooms: September

Solidago spp.

Common in fields and along roadside

Grass of Parnassus
Blooms: August-October

Parnassia asarifolia

Milepost 424.8 on rock wall across from overlook

Great Chickweed, Star Chickweed
Blooms: April-May

Stellaria pubera

Common in rich, moist woods

Hawthorne
Blooms: May-June

Crataegus spp.

Mileposts 155-176, 365.6, 368

Heal All
Heal All
Blooms: April-Frost

Prunella vulgaris

Common along roadside

Indian Paintbrush
Indian Paintbrush
Blooms: April-May

Castilleja coccinea

Mileposts 369-371

Ironweed
Blooms: August

Venonia noveboracensis

Mileposts 245, 248

 

Jewelweed
Blooms: August

Impatiens capensis

Common along roadside in wet areas

 

Joe Pye Weed
Joe Pye Weed
Blooms: August

Eupatorium purpureum

Mileposts 6, 85.8, 146, 248, 339.3, 357-359

Large Flowered Trillium
Large Flowered Trillium
Blooms: May

Trillium grandiflorum

Mileposts 3-7, 64-85, 154.5, 168-169, 175, 330-340, 370-375

 

Leatherflower
Blooms: May-August

Clematis viorna

Milepost 404 Big Ridge Overlook

 

May Apple
Mayapple
Blooms: March-April

Podophyllum peltatum

Mileposts 76.2-76.4, 296-297, 315-317, 320.8, 339.5

 

Mountain Ash
Blooms: June-July; Berries: September-October

Sorbus americana

Higher elevation spruce-fir forests, Mt. Mitchell, Mt. Pisgah, Shining Rock Wilderness/ Black Balsam area

Mountain Laurel
Mountain Laurel
Blooms: Late May-June

Kalmia latifolia

Mileposts 130.5, 162.9, 347.9, 380, 400

 

Mullein
Blooms: June-September

Verbasxum thapsus

Common along roadside on dry banks, naturalized but not native

New Jersey Tea
Blooms: May-June

Ceanothus americanus

Mileposts 42-43, 91-100, 138.4, 197, 211, 241, 328.6

Nodding Lady Tresses
Blooms: August-Frost

Spiranthes cernua

Mileposts 365-368, 425.4

Oriental Bittersweet berries
Oriental Bittersweet
Blooms: May-June; August-September (berry)

Celastrus orbiculatus

Commonly found in North Carolina. Highly invasive.

Mileposts 242.4, 383, 394, 396

Oswego Tea bloom
Oswego Tea
Blooms: July-August

Monarda didyma

Common in wet areas at higher elevations

Ox-Eye Daisy
Ox-Eye Daisy
Blooms: July

Chrysanthemum leucanthemum

Common in fields and along roadside

Painted Trillium
Blooms: April-June

Trillium undulatum

Mileposts 175, 200-216, 339-340, 364.6

Phlox
Phlox
Blooms: May-July

Phlox carolina

Mileposts 4, 79-82, 163-164, 200-202, 219-221, 339.3, 370-380

Pinkshell Azalea
Blooms: May-June

Rhododendron vaseyi

Mileposts 305.2, 342-343, 349-351, 419-424

Pinxter Flower
Pinxter Flower
Blooms: April-May

Rhododendron nudiflorum

Mileposts 4, 92-97, 138.6, 145.5, 154.5, 162.9, 211.6, 217-222, 350-351, 412-423

Pokeberry
Blooms: August

Phytolacca americana

Mileposts 6, 74.7, 151, 239.9, 323, 376.9

Purple springtime blooms on invasive Royal Paulownia
Princess Tree, Royal Paulownia
Blooms: April-May

Paulownia tomentosa

From Asia. Highly invasive. Grows wherever the seeds can sprout.

Mileposts 100-123, 381-382, 396, 400

Queen Anne’s Lace
Blooms: May-September

Daucus carota

Common along open fields and roadside.

Red Berried Elder
Blooms: May-June

Sambucus pubens

Mileposts 355-360, 369, 412-425

Higher elevations in rich, moist woods.

Red Trillium
Blooms: March-June

Trillium erectum

Mileposts 175, 200-216, 339-340, 364.6

Dainty purple blooms on a redbud tree in spring
Redbud
Blooms: Late April-May

Cercis canadensis

Mileposts 54-68

Serviceberry or Sarvis
Blooms: March-May

Amelanchier arborea

Mileposts 241-242, 294-297, 308.3, 347.6, 368-370

Silverbell Tree
Blooms: March-May

Halesia carolina

Mileposts 344.1-355.3

Skunk Cabbage
Blooms: February-March

Sympocarpus foetidus

Mileposts 176.1, 185.8, 217

Small’s Groundsel
Blooms: May-June

Senecio smallii

Mileposts 29.1, 85.8, 330-340

False Solomon's Seal
Solomon’s Plume
Blooms: April-June

Maianthemum racemosum

Found commonly along roadside

Solomon's Seal
Solomon’s Seal
Blooms: April-May

Polyganatum biflorum

Common on moist wooded slopes, coves

Three-toothed Cinquefoil
Blooms: June-August

Sibbaldiopsis tridentata

Found in sunny areas in shallow, rocky soil.

Milepost 364.1 at the start of the Craggy Pinnacle Trail