When Do The Wildflowers Bloom?
A short guide to spring wildflower bloom times in Blue Ridge.
Wildflower Ethics and Native Plants (Guidance from the US Forest Service)
For many of us a field of wildflowers is one of the most beautiful experiences we can encounter in Nature. There is a deep impulse we carry from childhood into adulthood to reach out and pick a flower in a beautiful butterfly-filled meadow or along a public wooded trail lined with spring beauties, irises, or wake-robins. It is because we all carry such memories that we have devoted an entire website to Celebrating Wildflowers. Millions of people visit the public lands each year and if only a small fraction of them each picked a few flowers, soon there would be none for the rest of us to enjoy.
![](https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Wildflowers-Crowdriff-gay_lucas_smith.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=942af7b2247c980ca8b9f757740b0c24 320w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Wildflowers-Crowdriff-gay_lucas_smith.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=834afc875aace8d624d3cca0bdbe0ce2 528w)
Almost all wildflowers are fragile and many wilt and perish soon after being picked. Over the years, the repercussions of wildflower picking by unthinking people go far beyond the loss of the flowers themselves. A critical chain of events is triggered for years to come once wildflowers are lost. We don’t often realize it, but wildflowers support entire ecosystems for pollinators, birds and small animals on a micro scale.
Butterflies and other insects, small birds and animals depend on seeds, nectar, and pollen for their food supply and life support system. In addition, some pollinators are not very mobile or have very small home ranges or depend on just one species of plant & die once their habitat has been destroyed.
Early April
Blood Root
Trout Lilly
April - May
Blue Violets
Carolina Silverbell
Dutchman's Breeches
Dwarf Crested Iris
False Solomon's Seal
Foam Flowers
Lady's Slipper - Pink and Yellow
Mayapple
Mountain Laurel
Trillium
![](https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Lady-Slipper.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=beaf49d80275e8869dab4d67f9dc358a 320w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Lady-Slipper.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=c54028caba68f3480c5d7414ee25cb75 540w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Lady-Slipper.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=ae7fad3e1efe1e7af000832170b9966c 768w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Lady-Slipper.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=b01ea374ca7f7fa0fda710b5da631b7c 1024w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Lady-Slipper.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=78dafda9355d66019dbe375b264832df 1200w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Lady-Slipper.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=5fdbca284e4f5ac106232e2fe13f8ca8 1440w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Lady-Slipper.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=d327404fc3615ba7f01d71f9abba55d2 1920w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Lady-Slipper.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=dbcca5812e5f8a5b80e651a8bc37dc2b 2560w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Lady-Slipper.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=da1fabe65e77b7ae6224d71f5339aa91 3024w)
Unfortunately, the Forest Service is experiencing increased poaching of native wildflowers; even some that are listed as endangered species. Many people desire species that are not available commercially because these plants are difficult to grow or take too many years to reach maturity; and some people desire the rarest of the rare bringing those precious jewels ever closer to extinction. Consequently, some people are illegally removing wildflowers and other native plants from their natural habitats. In some cases entire populations of a species have been stolen.
May - June
American Ginseng
Flame Azalea
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Fire Pink
Rhododendron
Sweet Shrub
![](https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Flame-Azalea-Bright-Orange-Variety.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=f56a1b2e6080de7c732f919e9ac7f1b3 320w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Flame-Azalea-Bright-Orange-Variety.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=3553fbd9f731ee932e69fa190f103c36 540w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Flame-Azalea-Bright-Orange-Variety.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=effb85a7ac59bf5383eb86ac981e8b69 768w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Flame-Azalea-Bright-Orange-Variety.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=256e71d09045663b6cfceba246a902a6 1024w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Flame-Azalea-Bright-Orange-Variety.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=2524706179c009ea0d0205873f79d44f 1200w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Flame-Azalea-Bright-Orange-Variety.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=4eaf2fc6cc18571de6497232ce904fad 1440w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Flame-Azalea-Bright-Orange-Variety.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=3aa547e7a9921bb11ebf2105b141e2d1 1920w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Flame-Azalea-Bright-Orange-Variety.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=48397852812f3620a51251de49ca0926 2560w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/blog-images/Flame-Azalea-Bright-Orange-Variety.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=66915c81822916f1ae3e4d1eaf145ee2 3024w)
There are four main consequences to this illegal activity.
- All living organisms need to reproduce. Digging up wildflowers, picking wildflowers, or collecting their seed will reduce a plant's ability to reproduce and will adversely affect its long-term survival in that location
- Removing wildflowers from the wild can adversely affect pollinators and other animals that depend on that species for food and cover
- Removing wildflowers from our national forests and grasslands prevents other visitors from enjoying our natural heritage
- Most wildflowers when dug from their natural habitat do not survive being transplanted
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