In addition to the blue crabs that are popular in the state of Maryland, this state also has a variety of wildflowers that, regardless of the season, create a colorful environment. Many wildflowers in Maryland can be observed blooming in every season, from the mountains to the coast, enthralling both tourists and locals.
Let’s find out more about some of these flowers in the state that you can find in Maryland’s landscapes.
12 Wildflowers in Maryland
Maryland’s state flower, the Black-eyed Susan, was designated as the official state flower in 1918. The Black-eyed Susan was chosen due to its presence and significance in the state, and this flower has golden-yellow petals and dark centers that match the color of the state’s flag.
Maryland is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, and as such, it is renowned for its varied landscapes, which include a mixture of coastal regions, rolling hills, and picturesque mountains.
This causes a variety of wildflowers to bloom in the state, including several types of goldenrods, which are visible from summer to fall, as well as trilliums and violets, which are visible in the spring. These plants are what provide natural beauty to the state’s landscapes.
1. Trumpet creeper
- Scientific Name: Campsis radicans
- Zone: 4 – 10
- Where to see: Central region of the state
- Season: July to August
Trumpet creeper is among the wildflowers you can find in the state of Maryland. This vigorous, deciduous woody vine can grow up to 33 feet long and is known for its showy trumpet-shaped flowers. You can see it climb on trees, plants, or structures and can form a dense ground cover or trail along the ground.
The leaves are opposite and odd-pinnately compound, while the flowers are orange to reddish-orange in color with a yellow throat. After blooming, long seed capsules appear, eventually splitting to disperse the seeds.
2. Wreath goldenrod
- Scientific Name: Solidago caesia
- Zone: 4 – 8
- Where to see: Statewide
- Season: August to October
Wreath goldenrod is a flowering species with a uniquely dark, wiry, blue, or purple stalk that develops flower heads in the leaf axils rather than in a huge array at the top of the plant. It grows well in areas with medium to partial shade and is commonly found in forests.
This goldenrod is a herbaceous perennial that grows up to 3 feet tall, with clusters of brilliant yellow flowers that bloom in the summer and early fall, embracing the greenish-purple stalks.
3. White trillium
- Scientific Name: Trillium grandiflorum
- Zone: 4 – 8
- Where to see: Parts of Western and southern regions of the state
- Season: April to June
One of the wildflowers that flourish in rich, mixed upland forests of Maryland is the white trillium, also known as the large-flowered trillium. Its attractive three-petaled white flowers bloom from late spring to early summer, rising above a whorl of three leaf-like bracts, making it stand out.
White trilliums grow in big clusters and have beautiful white flowers on top of three leaves. The flower also has a unique funnel shape.
4. Early goldenrod
- Scientific Name: Solidago juncea
- Zone: 3 – 8
- Where to see: Statewide
- Season: June to October
The early goldenrod is a flower that can reach heights of up to 4 feet and spreads through underground rhizomes. The plant has large leaves at the base, which become smaller as you move up the stem. In gardens, it’s often cultivated for its attractive display of up to 450 small yellow flower heads.
5. Moccasin flower
- Scientific Name: Cypripedium acaule
- Zone: 3 – 7
- Where to see: Statewide
- Season: May to July
The moccasin flower, also known as the pink lady’s slipper, is a species that grows naturally in eastern North America and produces beautiful flowers. It’s a perennial with two leaves close to the ground and a pubescent stalk that bears a single pink flower.
The flower’s sepals and petals come in colors ranging from yellowish-brown to maroon, and there is usually a big pouch in various shades of pink. It thrives in acidic soil and partial shade, and prefers well-drained slopes that are commonly found in pine forests.
6. White goldenrod
- Scientific Name: Solidago bicolor
- Zone: 5 – 10
- Where to see: Throughout the state
- Season: August to November
White Goldenrod is a herbaceous perennial wildflower that has an elongated spike of short-stalked flower heads with white to yellowish-white rays surrounding a yellow central disk.
It has white rays, which distinguishes it from other goldenrod species. This plant can survive dryness and grows well in arid, poor soil, and it also prefers full sun to partial shade and is resistant to deer.
7. Sessileleaf bellwort
- Scientific Name: Uvularia sessilifolia
- Zone: 4 – 8
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the state
- Season: April to May
Sessile Bellwort is a bellwort species native to eastern and central North America. The leaves of this plant are strap-like and immediately linked to the stem, and it grows well in woodlands with both wet and dry soils.
Its yellow, narrowly bell-shaped flowers bloom in spring and are creamy yellow in color. These wildflower plants spread through underground stolons and often form clonal colonies without flowering.
8. Gray goldenrod
- Scientific Name: Solidago nemoralis
- Zone: 3 – 9
- Where to see: Statewide
- Season: July to November
The gray goldenrod is a small species of goldenrod that grows upright and compact. It’s a native of North America, and you may also find it in Maryland. To recognize it, look for its gray-green stems coated in short white hairs and lance-shaped leaves with toothed margins.
From July to November, it produces bright yellow flower plumes on one side of the stems. Bees and butterflies benefit from goldenrods, even though people wrongly associate them with causing hay fever.
9. Smooth Solomon’s seal
- Scientific Name: Polygonatum biflorum
- Zone: 3 – 9
- Where to see: Statewide
- Season: March to June
The Smooth Solomon’s-seal is a wildflower with rhizome scars that resemble King Solomon’s ancient seal. The plant has arching, unbranched leaf stalks that can grow up to 1.8 meters long, and clusters of small white-green blooms hang from the stalks, eventually producing blue berries. Smooth Solomon’s seal flourishes in dense or rocky forests and along streambanks, preferring shade to partial shade and moist soil.
10. Wrinkleleaf goldenrod
- Scientific Name: Solidago rugosa
- Zone: 4 – 8
- Where to see: Statewide
- Season: August to October
The wrinkleleaf goldenrod is a native plant that grows in a compact and clump-forming manner. At the tips of these stems, which cascade and can reach a height of 2-5 feet, you’ll find beautiful light yellow flowers that bloom from August to October, attracting butterflies, native bees, and birds. You can find the species in many moist habitats, like sandy swamps, wet prairies, marsh banks, and sand dunes.
11. Dogtooth violet
- Scientific Name: Erythronium americanum
- Zone: 3 – 8
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the state
- Season: March to May
The dogtooth violet, also known as the trout lily, is a perennial flower that blooms in early spring with yellow, lanceolate tepals on an erect stalk. The species blooms after 4-7 years, and only a few plants in a group will flower. Dogtooth violets can be multiplied through seeds or corms, preferring partial to full shade, acidic, moist soil.
12. Showy goldenrod
- Scientific Name: Solidago erecta
- Zone: 3 – 8
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the state
- Season: July to October
Look for the showy goldenrod in the wild if you’re searching for a wildflower in Maryland throughout the summer. This plant produces foot-long stems of beautiful golden yellow blooms from summer to fall, which create a striking contrast in your garden.
It’s drought and clay-soil tolerant and will quickly naturalize, and removing spent flower clusters will encourage fresh blooming.
Louise writes about a wide variety of topics including wildlife, animals, and nature. She’s developed a growing interest in animal biology and categorization due to her fascination with how they interact with one another and with their surroundings.