I’m amazed at the quantity and variety of wildflowers I’ve seen since moving to Western North Carolina ten years ago! It has become a game to see how many different kinds I can find . . . and remember. Because of the hundreds of wildflower species in our region, I’ll leave it up to you to acquire reference books and field guides, apps, and to search websites. To get you started, here are a few of the most common—and most interesting—wildflowers that I’ve seen that you’re likely to discover, too.
Spring ephemerals at low to mid-range elevations
• Trillium (Trillium spp.) Three-leaved whorl and three-petal flower distinguish Trilliums. Our mountains harbor at least 10 species with fun common names such Wake Robin, Sweet Betsy, Nodding trillium, Toadshade trillium, and Painted trillium. Trilliums come in an array of blossom colors—white, pink, red, or yellow; solid-colored or speckled leaves; and blossoms that stand erect above the leaf whorl or hang below.
Habitat: Rich, moist woods and coves
• Wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia). The flower “petals” are sepals colored white or pink. Wood anemones and the rue anemones (Thalictrum thalictroides [= Anemonella thalictroides]) are very similar, differing in the shape of their leaves and positioning of blossoms on their stems. Rue anemones are sometimes called windflower, because they produce little nectar, but lots of wind-blown pollen.
Habitat: Rich humus soil; open woods and thickets
Spring perennials found in a wide range of elevations
• Fire pink (Silene virginica). This wildflower’s scarlet-red five-petal blossoms—atop slender stems with narrow opposite leave—“pink” refers to the notched petals—“pinked” at their tips. Fire pink is at home on harsh, dry, rocky slopes, although it will grow in well-drained, moist soils and partial shade. Pollinators and hummingbirds love it. Songbirds eat the seeds.
Habitat: Dry, rocky slopes
• Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum). Look under the large, umbrella-like leaves to find the mayapple blossom, a solitary one-inch flower hanging at the fork of two leaf stalks. Growing in large colonies about 18 inches tall, Mayapples produce an apple-like yellow fruit.
Habitat: Moist, hardwood forests
Summer perennials
• Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). Like North Carolina’s state bird, the wildflower is named for its resemblance to Roman Catholic cardinals’ clothing. Growing 3-5 feet tall, with erect flower spikes atop each stem, cardinal flowers open from the bottom of the spike to the top.
Habitat: Banks of streams; moist meadows and thickets; full sun to part shade
Elevation: Low to mid-range
• Turk’s cap lily (Lilium superbum). This lily has up to two dozen orange-speckled flowers with backward-curving petals, looking like the caps ancient Turks wore. It can reach 9 feet tall! The smaller Carolina lily (L. michauxii)—North Carolina’s official wildflower—grows 2 to 3 feet tall. Both lilies have whorled leaves along their stems, but Turk’s cap has sharply pointed leaves—Carolina lily leaves taper to a blunt point.
Habitat: Moist woods, trailside thickets
Elevation: Wide range
Fall perennials
• Crane-fly orchid (Tipularia discolor). When this orchid blooms in late summer, with tiny whitish-brown blossoms along a 15-inch stalk, it has no leaves—but its distinctive, low-growing leaves emerge in autumn and persist until spring. Somewhat crinkly looking, their upper side is dull to shiny green, the underside is purple.
Habitat: Rich forest soils along slopes and streams
Elevation: Low to mid-range
• Blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]). You’ll often spot these tiny blue flowers lighting up fall landscapes.
Habitat: Rich forests, shaded roadbanks
Elevation: Mid- to high-range
Unusual wildflowers
• Lady slipper (Cypripedium spp.). Discover this pink or yellow orchid, and you’ve found a jewel. The inch-long blossom looks like an inflated pouch or soft lady’s slipper. The pink lady slipper flowers on a stalk sitting above two large basal leaves. The yellow lady slipper has 3 to 5 leaves along the stalk. Their dust-like seeds require the right soil fungi to germinate. Never try to dig and transplant lady slippers! Enjoy them in their natural habitat.
Bloom time: April-June
Habitat: Dry to moist woods
Elevation: Low to mid-range
• Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). You have to look carefully to see the flower that pops up at the node of one or two leaves, each divided into three leaflets. Look for the hooded pulpit and Jack (or Jill!) standing inside. That’s right, this wildflower can produce male or female flowers, depending on the amount of resources stored in its corm (underground stem). The pulpit can be green, brownish-purple, striped, or mottled. If the plant produces a female flower, red berries appear in late summer when both Jill—and the pulpit—are gone!
Bloom time: March-June
Habitat: Moist woods; along creeks
Elevation: Wide range
Article written by Beth Leonard, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer.
Stay tuned
Wildflowers Part IV discusses gardening with wildflowers.
Learn more
NC State Extension Plants
Photographs and searchable lists of wildflowers by common and scientific names.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/category/wildflowers/4/?category=wildflowers&s=common_name
North Carolina Native Plant Society
Photographs and searchable lists of wildflowers by common and scientific names.
https://ncwildflower.org/search/results/1c9da2083d71b05c3799f539f48d2a5c/
Wildflowers of the United States
References, photographs, and searchable lists by state.
https://uswildflowers.com/stateref.php?State=NC