If you’re exploring Mississippi and want to marvel at the colorful flowers that grow here, you’ve come to the right place. There are numerous unique and vibrant wildflowers in Mississippi that brighten the state’s surroundings, from the sloping hills to sandy beaches.
In this article, we’ll go on a journey to discover some of the most amazing wildflowers in the state.
12 Wildflowers in Mississippi
The state flower of Mississippi is the Magnolia (pictured above), a beautiful and fragrant tree that is native to the southeastern United States. The Magnolia is a large evergreen tree with glossy leaves and large white flowers that bloom in the spring and summer.
The flowers are known for their sweet fragrance and their beauty, and they are a popular choice for gardens and floral arrangements. The Magnolia is a symbol of strength, endurance, and beauty, and it has been an important part of the culture and history of Mississippi for centuries. The Magnolia was designated as the official state flower of Mississippi in 1952.
1. Illinois bundleflower
- Scientific Name: Desmanthus illinoensis
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the state
- Season: Early Summer
Illinois bundleflower is a plant that you can find in many areas of the south-central and Midwestern US. They thrive in full sun and need plenty of water during their short growing season.
You can often spot mature ones growing and flowering in mowed areas, particularly on roadsides. Illinois bundleflower’s root bark has different chemical compounds, some of which are toxic, but the plant itself is a valuable food source because it’s nutritious and high in protein.
2. Giant goldenrod
- Scientific Name: Solidago gigantea
- Zone: 3 – 10
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the state
- Season: late summer to mid-fall
You can find giant goldenrod in Mississippi as it’s a plant species native to North America. It’s a perennial herb that may grow up to 2 meters tall and commonly grows in clusters, producing multiple little yellow flower heads at the top of its stalk containing disc and ray florets.
Giant goldenrod is widely distributed throughout North America’s non-arctic regions and can be found in a range of natural environments with moist soils.
3. Eastern purple coneflower
- Scientific Name: Echinacea purpurea
- Zone: 3 – 8
- Where to see: Parts of Northeast down to Central
- Season: Early Summer
The eastern purple coneflower is one of the state’s many stunning purple flowers that can draw your attention when you’re exploring the state. It’s able to survive in environments such as dry open forests, prairies, and barrens, and its flowering heads are often formed like cones and colored purple.
Butterflies and bees are responsible for pollinating its flowers, which each contain both male and female reproductive organs.
4. Canada goldenrod
- Scientific Name: Solidago canadensis
- Zone: 3 – 9
- Where to see: Statewide
- Season: Late Summer
Another goldenrod that you may find in the state is the Canada goldenrod. This plant grows in colonies of upright plants with tiny yellow flowers in branching inflorescences, and it’s also grown for ornamental purposes in flower gardens.
It lures different insects with its pollen and nectar, and deer often eat it. Canada goldenrod can grow in different habitats and spread quickly through rhizomes, making it highly aggressive.
5. Giant ironweed
- Scientific Name: Vernonia gigantea
- Zone: 5 – 9
- Where to see: Statewide
- Season: late summer to early fall
Giant ironweed is a plant that can reach heights of up to 7 ft with green or purplish-green stems. Late summer to early fall is when purple blooms are in full bloom, and wet soils by roadsides, meadows, and open woodlands are where you might find them. Additionally, it acts as a host for the red groundling moth and the ironweed borer moth’s larvae.
6. Carolina geranium
- Scientific Name: Geranium carolinianum
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the state
- Season: Spring
Carolina geranium is a wildflower with upright stems coated in spiky hairs that range in color from pink to red. The clusters of flowers, which range in color from white to light pink to lavender, have distinctive five-pointed sepals and rounded petals. It can grow in many parts of the United States and can survive in dry and nutrient-poor environments.
7. Downy phlox
- Scientific Name: Phlox pilosa
- Zone: 3 – 9
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the state
- Season: Spring
Downy phlox is a hairy perennial species that you’ll discover thriving in rocky or dry open woods, meadows, and prairies. You might notice that this wildflower grows readily through rhizomes, requiring low maintenance to maintain control.
Its fragrant, pale pink to lavender blossoms are also attractive to butterflies. It prefers full sun and can survive in dry soil, making it ideal for rock gardens, cottage gardens, and native plant gardens.
8. Cutleaf evening primrose
- Scientific Name: Oenothera laciniata
- Zone: 4 – 9
- Where to see: Statewide
- Season: late spring to mid-summer
Cutleaf evening primrose is a flowering plant that belongs to the primrose family. It has spread to different parts of the world and is sometimes considered a noxious weed.
This species, which can be an annual or a short-lived perennial, bears flowers with pale to deep yellow petals that age to orange, pink, or red. The plant also produces fruit in the form of cylindrical capsules that can grow up to 5 centimeters long.
9. Eastern daisy fleabane
- Scientific Name: Erigeron annuus
- Zone: 2 – 9
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the state
- Season: late spring to mid-summer
Eastern daisy fleabane is a blooming species that create little clusters of composite flowers that resemble daisies and have many yellow disk florets encircled by white ray florets. The flowers bloom from late spring to mid-summer and have a gentle fragrance.
This plant prefers a wet to mesic environment, grows well in full or partial sun, and you can usually discover them in disturbed places.
10. Wild bergamot
- Scientific Name: Monarda fistulosa
- Zone: 3 – 9
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the state
- Season: Summer
Another wildflower that grows in the state and has lavender or pink blossoms is the wild bergamot. It blooms in a wreath-like pattern and has an irregular shape, with a tubular upper lip and three slender lower lips. You’ll see them bloom in summer, and like to be in full or partial sun with moist to slightly dry conditions.
11. Maryland golden aster
- Scientific Name: Chrysopsis mariana
- Zone: 4 – 9
- Where to see: Scattered throughout eastern regions of the state
- Season: Summer to Fall
The golden-aster is a type of wildflower that, from August through October, produces clusters of spectacular flowers resembling yellow daisies. It thrives in full sun on sandy and well-drained soils, but it may also grow in partial shade and withstand moderate dryness.
12. Trumpet honeysuckle
- Scientific Name: Lonicera sempervirens
- Zone: 4 – 9
- Where to see: Scattered throughout the lower regions of the state
- Season: Late Summer
One of the floral vines you could encounter in Mississippi is trumpet honeysuckle. It’s known for its trumpet-shaped, coral to scarlet flowers, waxy leaves, and stems that may grow to be over 20 feet tall, and it’s frequently used in gardens due to its low maintenance requirements and stunning red blooms. Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to it, making it a popular choice for pollinator gardens.
