Maine Wildflowers

Purple Violets

©Nannette Richford

Purple violets (Viola palmata) can be found in woodlands where the blooms can reach the size of nearly an inch. They bloom in early spring. Look for areas with dappled light and moist soil. Read More

Yellow Violets

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Yellow violets (Viola pensylvanica) are smaller than purple violets. They grow under deciduous trees where the bright sun reaches them in the spring. Read More

Sweet White Violets

©Nannette Richford

Sweet white violets (Viola blanda) can be found in wooded areas in early spring. These miniature violets emit a sweet fragrance unrivaled by other violets. Read More

Blue Violets

©Nannette Richford

Blue violets (Viola Tribola) are similar to purple violets, but the blooms are smaller and less showy. Add these to your woodland garden for spring cheer. Read More

White Trillium

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The White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) is less common than the red trillium, but can be found throughout Maine. It blooms in early spring. Read More

Red Trillium

©Nannette Richford

Red or Purple Trillium (Trillium vaseyi) are referred to as Stinking Benjamins due to their pungent scent. They bloom in early spring and can be found in wooded areas. Read More

Painted Trillium

©Nannette Richford

Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum ) is also common in Maine. This early-spring wildflower grows in wooded areas that receive light in the spring. Read More

Trailing Arbutus

by dogtooth77/Flickr

Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens L.), often called Mayflowers, thrive in shaded woodland areas, usually under pine trees. They can be found from Canada to Florida.

Trout Lily

©Nannette Richford

The Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum), also known as the Dog's Tooth Lily, is one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the spring. It can be found in ditches and wooded areas.

Columbine

©Nannette Richford

The wild columbine (Aquilegia sp) blooms in late spring or early summer. It can be found along the borders of fields or in partially shaded areas. Colors range from white or pastel pink to deep purple.

Lupines

©Nannette Richford

Lupines (Lupinus) adorn the roadsides in midsummer with tall spires of pink, white and purple flowers. Lupines can be found throughout Maine and prefer a sunny location. Read More

Oxeye Daisy

©Nannette Richford

Hill and roadsides come alive with the oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) in early summer. These hardy wildflowers attract bees and butterflies creating movement and color in the wildflower garden.

Black-Eyed Susan

©Nannette Richford

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) bring fields alive with color in mid to late summer in Maine. These bright flowers create a stunning display in wildflower gardens.

Tiger Lily

©Nannette Richford

Tiger Lilies (Lilium lancifolium)) grow wild throughout Maine, commonly along roadsides and in ditches. Blooms appear on a tall stalk lined with foliage with a cluster of blooms at the top. Read more.

Orange Ditch Lily

©Nannette Richford

Orange Ditch Lilies (Hemerocallis fulva) are a type of day lily that is often confused with the tiger lily. Flowers on ditch lilies last for only a day and then shrivel and drop. Read more.

Queen Anne's Lace

©Nannette Richford

Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) can be found along roadsides and in open fields across Maine. These showy flowers bloom in mid to late summer.

New England Asters

©Nannette Richford

In late summer Maine roadsides come alive with a flush of purple as New England Asters
(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) begin to bloom. Colors range from deep purple to light lavender, blue and pink.

Lady's Slippers

©Nannette Richford

The pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule) is the most common lady slipper in Maine, but there are also yellow lady's slippers (Cypripedium parviflorum) in Maine.

Lily of the Valley

by BlueRidgeKitties/Flickr

Lily of the Valley (Convallaria magalis) grows in shaded or partially shaded areas throughout Maine. While they are not native and were probably introduced, they survive for years and naturalize in wooded areas.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

©Nannette Richford

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) can be found under deciduous trees in areas where the sun warms the area in early spring. These unusual flowers live for 25 years.

Spring Beauties

by Jack W. Pearce/Flickr

Spring Beauties (Claytonia Virginica) bloom in early spring and can be found in wooded areas, typically under deciduous trees, where they receive dappled light.

Touch-Me-Nots

©Nannette Richford

Touch-Me-Nots (Impatiens capensis) are also known as jewel weed or spotted jewel weed. They can be found in ditches in moist areas and along roadsides.

Morning Glory

©Nannette Richford

Morning Glories (Calystegia sepium) are smaller than cultivated morning glories. They grow wild along roadsides and in ditches. They bloom in midsummer.

Buttercups

©Nannette Richford

Buttercups (Ranunculus bulbosus) are a common sight in early summer. They grow along roadsides and in open fields. They are a natural for meadow gardens.

Colt's Foot

©Nannette Richford

Colt's Foot (Tussilago farfara) is one of the earliest blooming wildflowers. It can be found in sandy areas along roadsides and in ditches. It is often abuzz with bees and insects in spring. Read more.

Fleabane

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Fleabane (Erigeron spp.) look like miniature daisies with their row of white petals and their bright yellow centers. They can be found along roadsides and in fields and meadows and bloom in midsummer.

Crown Vetch

©Nannette Richford

Crown Vetch (Coronilla varia) is not a native plant, but it does grow wild in Maine. It was originally imported to the U.S. for erosion control, but has become invasive in some areas. It blooms in early to mid summer and can be found along roadsides.

Fireweed

Meadowsweet

American Wintergreen

©Nannette Richford

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) looks similar to garden phlox, but grows wild across Maine. It can reach heights of 10 feet and is typically found in ditches or in areas that have been cut.

©Nannette Richford

Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba ) can be found in moist areas along rivers, streams or lakes, but also grows on banks along the roadside. These flowers attract bees and flying insects and bloom in early to midsummer.

©Nannette Richford

American Wintergreen (Pyrola americana) grows in woodlands and bogs or along roads in wooded areas. It can reach a height of 12 inches. Flowers are typically white, but may be tinged with pink. It blooms in the spring.

Tufted or Cow Vetch

©Nannette Richford

Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca) grows in disturbed areas, such as old fields or roadsides. It is similar to hairy vetch, but has a smooth stem. It can be invasive as its sends out tendrils that choke out other plants.

St. John's Wort

©Nannette Richford

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) can be found growing in fields and open areas or along roadsides. It grows to 3 feet tall and produces clusters of yellow blooms in mid to late summer.

Sulfur Cinquefoil

©Nannette Richford

Sulfur Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) has soft-yellow, heart-shaped petals with a deeper yellow center. These flower bloom in midsummer and can be found along roadsides. They can reach heights of 3 feet, but are often shorter.

Tall Meadow-Rue

©Nannette Richford

Tall Meadow-Rue (Thalictrum pubescens) produces a puff of white blooms atop tall stems. These flowers bloom in midsummer. It grows in ditches, along roadsides, in forests and near marshy areas.

White Campion

©Nannette Richford

White Campion (Silene latifolia), also known as white cockle, It grows to heights of 1 to 3 feet and and blooms in midsummer and fall. It can be found along roadsides and in fields or ditches.

White Heath Aster

©Nannette Richford

White Heath Asters (Symphyotrichum ericoides) bloom at the same time as other asters, including the New England Aster, but the blooms are considerably smaller.

Heal All

©Nannette Richford

Heal All (Prunella vulgaris) is often found growing on lawns and in other open areas. This tiny flower attracts bees and flying insects but is often overlooked and considered a weed. It blooms in late spring and early summer.

Late Purple Aster

©Nannette Richford

The Late Purple Aster (Symphyotrichum patens) is similar to the New England Aster, but the flowers are smaller and have fewer petals. It often grows alongside the New England Aster along roadsides and in fields.

Pearly Everlastng

Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) can be found in open areas, along roadsides or in ditches. It blooms from July to September. Flowers can be used as dried flowers.

Star Flower

Starflower (Trientalis borealis) grows in both coniferous and deciduous forests producing a single, star-shaped flower in early to mid spring. It grows to heights of 4 inches.

False Solomon's Seal

False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum racemosum) produces a spray of tiny white blooms in late spring. It prefers rich, moist soil and light shade. It can often be found on the edges of woodlands or in shady, open areas.

Blue Eyed Grass

Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium), often called blue grass, blooms in midsummer. These tiny flowers look like they are springing from blades of grass and can be found along roads, in open fields, on banks or on lawns.

Bunchberries

The Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) produces a single white bloom on a short compact plant. It grows in deciduous or mixed forests or at the edges of wooded areas. It blooms in late spring. Read More

Speedwell

Speedwell (Veronica persica) grows throughout Maine and blooms in early spring. It can be found in sunny open areas, along the edges of wooded areas and in fields or on lawns. These tiny blue flowers are less than half inch in diameter.

Chickweed

Chickweed (Stellaria spp.) produces delicate white flowers that seem to float in the air. These flowers appear to have 10 petals, but are really made up of five deeply lobed petals. They can be found growing near gardens, in open fields and along roadsides.

Wood Sorrel

Wood sorrel (Oxalis dillenii or Oxalis stricta) grows freely throughout the U'S. This tiny flower is often referred to as a shamrock and has three heart-shaped leaves similar to clover.

Hawkweed

Hawkweed (Hieracium spp) can be found blooming along roadsides in late spring and early summer. Colors range from yellow to orange and nearly red. These flowers typically bloom at the same time that wild strawberries ripen.

Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) grows along roadsides in mid to late summer. It attracts bees and butterflies and makes a wonderful addition to wildflower bouquets as the blooms are long lasting.

Bird's Foot Trefoil

Bird's Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) brightens the roadsides throughout the summer and can often be found co-existing with purple vetch. It attracts bees and other flying insects. The mounding habit of this wildflower adds a splash of color to the landscape.

Low-Hop Clover

Low-Hop Clover (Trifolium campestre) is not a native plant, but it does grow wild throughout Maine and most of the U.S. This flower can be found along roadsides, in ditches and in fields. Yellow blooms turn orange and brown as they mature.

Blue-bead Lily

The Blue-bead Lily (Clintonia spp.) produces a cluster of tiny yellow flowers atop a stem up to 15 inches in height. It blooms in early spring along with trillium and jack in the pulpit and can be found in openings in wooded areas and along roadsides. In the fall, it produces striking blue berries. Read More.

Black Bindweed

Fringed Black Bindweed (Fallopia cilinodis) resembles the morning glory vine, but produces a spray of white, indistinct flowers. This plant can be invasive. It can be found in open areas or along roadsides.

Dwarf Cinquefoil

Dwarf Cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis) grows on foliage similar to wild strawberries and reaches a height of 4 inches. It grows in fields, woods, ditches and along roadsides. It blooms in midsummer.

Large Bluets

Large bluets (Houstonia purpurea) can be white or purplish and can be found in open areas. These bluets produce a cluster of blooms on stems 20 inches in height. They bloom in late spring and early summer.

Dutchman's Breeches

by erbec/ Flickr

Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) range in color from white and yellow to pale pink. These tiny flowers look like miniature pantaloons hung on the line.