50 Native Wildflowers for North Carolina

• Actaea racemosa (Black Cohosh) – tall woodland perennial with foamy white flower spikes in early summer. Perfect for part shade borders and forest style gardens.
• Amsonia tabernaemontana (Blue Star) – clumps of narrow leaves topped with sky blue spring flowers. Foliage turns golden in fall and looks great with ornamental grasses.
• Anemone virginiana (Thimbleweed) – understated white blooms and fuzzy seed heads that sway above dry woodland and meadow plantings.
• Aquilegia canadensis (Canadian Columbine) – red and yellow nodding flowers that hummingbirds adore. Ideal in open woods, rock gardens, and naturalized beds.
• Aruncus dioicus (Goat’s Beard) – looks like a giant astilbe with huge cream flower plumes. Loves moist, rich soil along streams or shaded borders.
• Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) – fragrant pink flower clusters in midsummer that draw monarchs, swallowtails, and bees to rain gardens and pond edges.
• Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed) – brilliant orange blooms on drought tolerant plants for hot, sandy, or clay slopes. Essential for monarch caterpillars.
• Dicentra eximia (Fringed Bleeding Heart) – ferny foliage and pink heart shaped flowers that bloom for weeks in cool, part shaded beds.
• Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman’s Breeches) – early spring ephemeral with white pantaloon like flowers. Naturalizes in humus rich woodland soil.
• Eurybia divaricata (White Wood Aster) – airy clouds of white daisies in late summer that brighten dry shade and support late season pollinators.
• Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Blue Wood Aster) – lavender blue fall flowers on graceful stems. A key nectar source when other blooms are fading.
• Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (Aromatic Aster) – compact, shrubby aster smothered in violet flowers. Great for sunny slopes and dry spots.
• Eutrochium fistulosum (Joe Pye Weed) – towering, vanilla scented flower heads that pull in butterflies from August into fall. Best at the back of a moist border or rain garden.
• Eutrochium purpureum (Sweet Scented Joe Pye Weed) – slightly shorter cousin suited to average garden soil with regular moisture.
• Geranium maculatum (Spotted Cranesbill) – long lived clumps with pinkish lavender spring flowers and attractive foliage that weaves between other perennials.
• Hepatica acutiloba (Sharp Lobed Liverleaf) – one of the first flowers of spring. White to lavender blooms sparkle above evergreen mottled leaves.
• Liatris spicata (Blazing Star) – vertical purple spikes beloved by butterflies and bees. Excellent in sunny prairie style plantings.
• Lilium superbum (Turk’s Cap Lily or Lily) – tall stems with downward curving orange blossoms speckled in dark spots. Moist, well drained soil and light shade suit it best.
• Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower) – intense red flower spikes that hummingbirds cannot resist. Thrives in consistently moist soil or at pond edges.
• Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia) – blue counterpart to cardinal flower, blooming late summer into fall in damp, partly shaded areas.
• Mitella diphylla (Bishop’s Cap) – dainty, fringed white flowers along thin stems in spring. Lovely in shaded rock gardens and woodland paths.
• Phlox carolina (Carolina Phlox) – fragrant clustered flowers in pink or lavender that bloom in early summer on upright stems.
• Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox) – classic border perennial with bold summer flower heads that attract butterflies. Prefers sun and good air circulation.
• Polygonatum biflorum (Small Solomon’s Seal) – graceful arching stems with dangling white bells in late spring, followed by blue black berries.
• Rudbeckia hirta (Black Eyed Susan) – cheerful golden daisies with dark centers that bloom for months in sunny beds and meadows.
• Helianthus divaricatus (Woodland Sunflower) – tall, branching stems topped with yellow daisies that light up woodland edges and naturalized slopes.
• Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) – pure white early spring flowers emerging from rolled blue green leaves. Spreads slowly in rich woodland soils.
• Silene virginica (Fire Pink) – brilliant scarlet star shaped flowers that hummingbirds visit in open woods and rocky banks.
• Tiarella cordifolia (Foam Flower) – frothy white flower wands over patterned leaves. A dependable groundcover for moist shade.
• Coreopsis lanceolata (Lanceleaf Tickseed) – bright yellow daisy like flowers on tough sun loving plants. Perfect for roadsides, meadows, and low care borders.
• Gaillardia pulchella (Firewheel) – red and yellow bicolored blooms that thrive in hot, sandy, or rocky soils with excellent drainage.
• Baptisia australis (Blue False Indigo) – shrub sized perennial with blue pea like flowers and ornamental seed pods. Extremely long lived in sunny, well drained beds.
• Conoclinium coelestinum (Blue Mistflower) – fuzzy blue flower clusters in late summer that draw clouds of small butterflies.
• Verbena hastata (American Blue Vervain) – tall, upright spikes blooming purple in mid to late summer. Ideal for wet meadows and rain gardens.
• Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s Root) – elegant, candelabra style spires of white or pale lavender flowers that add height to pollinator borders.
• Iris cristata (Dwarf Crested Iris) – low growing iris with violet blue flowers in early spring, perfect for shaded slopes and rock gardens.
• Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue) – sturdy, sun loving perennial with white tubular blooms for bumblebees and hummingbirds.
• Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders) – early blooming yellow umbels that support black swallowtail caterpillars and provide a bridge between spring and summer flowers.
• Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink) – dramatic red and yellow trumpets on upright stems, thriving in part shade with moist, rich soil.
• Chrysopsis mariana (Maryland Golden Aster) – low, clumping plant with bright yellow daisies from late summer into fall, especially on dry, sunny sites.
• Monarda didyma (Scarlet Bee Balm) – aromatic foliage and bold scarlet flower heads that attract hummingbirds and pollinators.
• Monarda punctata (Spotted Bee Balm) – drought tolerant mint relative with stacked whorls of pink bracts and spotted flowers that bees adore.
• Thermopsis villosa (Carolina Lupine) – spikes of soft yellow pea flowers in late spring, giving a lupine look with southeastern toughness.
• Vernonia noveboracensis (New York Ironweed) – tall, stately perennial with intense purple flower clusters in late summer, superb for butterflies.
• Claytonia virginica (Spring Beauty) – delicate pink striped flowers that carpet woodlands and lawns in early spring before going dormant.
• Trillium grandiflorum (White Trillium) – iconic three petaled white flowers above a whorl of leaves. Slow to establish but spectacular in mature shade gardens.
• Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Trout Lily) – mottled leaves and nodding yellow flowers that naturalize in wooded areas.
• Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) – drooping clusters of blue bell shaped flowers that glow in spring floodplains and moist garden beds.
• Chelone glabra (White Turtlehead) – sturdy stems with white snapdragon like blooms that host the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly.
• Sisyrinchium angustifolium (Blue Eyed Grass) – grassy clumps topped with starry blue flowers in late spring, great for edging sunny paths.

Bringing Native Wildflowers Into Your North Carolina Landscape

Begin by swapping a few non native perennials with one or two natives from this list, then expand each season. Cluster milkweeds, coneflowers, asters, and mints in sunny spots for a buzzing pollinator patch, and tuck foamflower, Dutchman’s breeches, and trilliums into shady corners. Within a few years, your yard can look and feel like a slice of North Carolina meadow and woodland, alive with butterflies, songbirds, and seasonal color.

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Why You Should Plant Noth Carolina Native Wildflowers and Plants

Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species. They compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space, displacing native plants and degrading wildlife habitats. The U.S. Forest Service highlights that invasive species can lead to increased soil erosion and negatively impact water quality. Moreover, nearly 25% of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, primarily due to habitat loss.

You can help reverse this trend by planting native plants in your garden. A plant is considered native if it occurs naturally in a specific region without human introduction.

Native plants offer numerous benefits. They are better adapted to local soils, moisture levels, and weather conditions than exotic plants, requiring fewer fertilizers and pesticides and less water. Additionally, they are unlikely to escape cultivation and become invasive. Native wildflowers also support local wildlife by providing shelter and food for birds and insects, enhancing biodiversity.

When incorporating North Carolina native wildflowers into your garden, avoid collecting plants from the wild, as this depletes natural ecosystems. Instead, choose species grown from local seed sources best suited for supporting local wildlife. By planting native wildflowers, you not only beautify your garden but also contribute to the preservation of North Carolina’s rich natural heritage.

Updated: November 2025 • Reviewed by Gardenia Editors