35 Virginia Native Flowers (With Growing Details)

Virginia’s woodlands, meadows, and wetlands hold one of the richest native plant collections on the East Coast. The Flora of Virginia Project has documented more than 3,000 native and naturalized plant taxa across the state, and a good share of them are flowering species that gardeners can grow at home.

I have spent years walking Virginia trails, and I still find something new every spring. That is the charm of native flowers. They belong here, so they thrive without much demand.

This guide covers 35 native flowers you can plant in your own yard. Each one supports local bees, butterflies, and birds. Native plants also need far less water and fertilizer than imported species, since they are already adapted to Virginia’s clay soils and humid summers.

The 35 Native Flowers of Virginia

1. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

The Flowering Dogwood is Virginia’s official state flower, chosen back in 1918. Its white or pink bracts open in early spring, usually April, before most trees leaf out.

I always notice dogwoods first on drives through rural Virginia. They light up the forest edge like scattered snow.

This small tree tolerates partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. Birds eat the bright red berries that follow the blooms in fall.

2. Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

Virginia Bluebells carry the state’s name for good reason. Their nodding, bell-shaped flowers shift from pink buds to true blue as they open.

They bloom in early-to-mid spring along riverbanks and floodplain forests. By early summer, the whole plant dies back completely, so plan companion plants around it.

Bees find these flowers irresistible during the short bloom window. Plant them in shaded, humus-rich soil for the best show.

3. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Cardinal Flower produces tall spikes of brilliant scarlet red, blooming from July through September. Hummingbirds are drawn to it almost exclusively.

I planted one near a rain garden, and within a week, a hummingbird had claimed it as a personal feeding station.

It prefers consistently moist soil, so it works well near ponds, streams, or low spots that collect rainwater.

4. Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

This orange-flowered milkweed is a monarch butterfly host plant, meaning monarchs lay eggs only on milkweed species. It blooms from June to August in full sun.

Unlike other milkweeds, Butterfly Milkweed tolerates dry, sandy soil well. It does not spread aggressively, which makes it a tidy choice for smaller gardens.

5. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Purple Coneflower is one of the most recognizable prairie flowers, with pink-purple petals surrounding a spiky orange-brown cone. It blooms from June through August.

Goldfinches love the seed heads in fall, so I leave mine standing through winter instead of deadheading.

It handles drought, poor soil, and full sun without complaint, making it one of the easiest natives to grow.

6. Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

This woodland flower has red and yellow nodding blooms shaped almost like tiny lanterns. It flowers in April and May.

Hummingbirds arrive just as columbine blooms open each spring, timing that always feels almost too perfect to be coincidence.

It grows well in rocky, partly shaded spots and self-seeds gently without becoming invasive.

7. Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)

Joe-Pye Weed is a tall perennial, often reaching 5 to 7 feet, topped with dusty pink flower clusters in late summer.

Butterflies, especially swallowtails, gather on it in large numbers. I have counted more than a dozen on a single plant at once.

It prefers moist soil and works well at the back of a border or along a wet ditch line.

8. New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

This aster produces masses of purple, daisy-like flowers from September into October, right when most other blooms have finished.

It is one of the last major nectar sources before frost, which makes it critical for bees preparing for winter.

Full sun and average soil suit it fine. Cutting it back in early summer keeps the plant compact and less floppy.

9. Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Also called Bee Balm, this lavender-flowered mint relative blooms from June to August and smells faintly of oregano when brushed.

Bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbird moths all visit it regularly. It is one of the busiest plants in my garden during midsummer.

It spreads by rhizomes, so give it room, or plant it where a bit of spreading is welcome.

ALSO READ: 25 Trees Native to Virginia (With Growing Tips)

10. Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)

Trout Lily gets its name from its mottled, trout-skin-patterned leaves. Its yellow, nodding flowers appear briefly in early spring.

It is a true ephemeral, meaning the whole plant disappears by early summer. Patches can take years to spread, so patience matters here.

Rich, moist woodland soil and dappled shade suit it best.

11. Great White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

This trillium produces a single large white flower atop three broad leaves, blooming in April. The flower slowly turns pink with age.

It is slow to establish, sometimes taking 4 to 7 years from seed to first bloom, so most gardeners buy established plants.

It needs rich, undisturbed woodland soil, much like an old-growth forest floor.

12. Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

This unusual flower forms a hooded spathe, called the “pulpit,” around a spadix, called “Jack.” It blooms in April and May.

I remember being genuinely startled the first time I found one, since it looks almost otherworldly against the plain forest floor.

It thrives in moist, shaded woodland soil and produces bright red berry clusters in fall.

13. Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)

Wild Geranium, also called Cranesbill, has soft pink-purple flowers that bloom from April through June in woodland settings.

It is a reliable groundcover under trees, spreading slowly without becoming a nuisance. Bees visit it steadily through its bloom period.

Part shade and average, well-drained soil are all it really asks for.

14. Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

Foamflower produces fluffy white flower spikes above heart-shaped leaves, blooming in April and May. The leaves often turn bronze in fall.

It works beautifully as a shade groundcover, spreading by runners to fill in bare patches under trees.

Moist, rich soil and partial to full shade keep it happiest.

15. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Black-eyed Susan is perhaps the most familiar native wildflower in Virginia, with golden petals around a dark brown center. It blooms from June to September.

It is also Maryland’s state flower, but it grows just as freely across Virginia roadsides and meadows.

This flower tolerates poor soil, drought, and neglect, which is exactly why it appears so often in wildflower mixes.

16. Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor)

This wetland iris produces striking blue-purple flowers with yellow and white markings, blooming in May and June.

It grows naturally along pond edges and marshes, and it handles standing water without any issue.

Full sun to part shade and consistently wet soil give the best bloom results.

17. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Unlike its dry-loving cousin, Swamp Milkweed prefers moist to wet soil and blooms with pink-mauve clusters from June to August.

It is another important monarch host plant, and it tends to be less aggressive in spreading than common milkweed.

Rain gardens and pond margins are ideal locations for it.

18. Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

Goldenrod often gets blamed for hay fever, but that is actually ragweed’s fault, since goldenrod pollen is too heavy to travel by wind.

It blooms in bright yellow plumes from August through October, feeding bees and butterflies right before winter.

It grows in almost any soil and full sun, though it can spread aggressively if not managed.

19. New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)

Ironweed produces deep purple flower clusters atop tall stems, often 5 to 8 feet high, blooming from August to October.

Despite its name, it grows across Virginia’s wet meadows and roadside ditches, not just New York.

Butterflies, particularly swallowtails, treat it as a favorite late-season nectar stop.

20. White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)

Turtlehead’s white to pale pink flowers resemble a turtle’s open mouth, blooming from August to October in moist soil.

It serves as the host plant for the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly, an increasingly uncommon species in the region.

Shade to part sun and wet soil conditions suit it best, often near streams.

21. Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana)

This flower carries Virginia’s name directly. Its three-petaled purple-blue flowers open in the morning and close by afternoon, blooming from May to July.

Each bloom lasts only a single day, which I find oddly poetic for a plant tied so closely to this state.

It tolerates a wide range of soils and light conditions, from full sun to partial shade.

22. Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

Mayapple forms umbrella-like leaf pairs, hiding a single white flower beneath the foliage. It blooms in April and May.

The flower is easy to miss unless you crouch down and look underneath the leaves, which surprises most first-time visitors.

It spreads through colonies in moist, shaded woodlands, forming dense green patches by early summer.

23. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

Bloodroot produces a single white flower with a golden center, one of the earliest bloomers of late March to April.

Its name comes from the red-orange sap inside its roots and stems, once used by Indigenous communities for dye.

It prefers rich, well-drained woodland soil and partial shade, and it goes dormant by midsummer.

24. Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)

Sweetspire is a native shrub with arching stems of fragrant white flower spikes, blooming in late spring to early summer.

Its fall foliage turns deep red and orange, giving it strong value beyond the bloom season alone.

It tolerates wet soil well, making it a strong choice for rain gardens or low-lying yard areas.

ALSO READ: 20 Trees Native to West Virginia (With Growing Details)

25. Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

This low, creeping groundcover produces small white, twin flowers in June and July, followed by bright red berries in fall and winter.

It stays green year-round, offering ground-level color even in the coldest months.

Shaded, acidic, well-drained soil under trees suits it best, often alongside ferns and mosses.

26. Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

Solomon’s Seal produces small, bell-shaped, greenish-white flowers hanging beneath arching stems, blooming in April and May.

The blue-black berries that follow in fall add a second season of interest after the flowers fade.

It grows well in shaded, moist soil and pairs naturally with ferns and hostas.

27. Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

Wild Ginger’s flower is a curious, brownish-red cup hidden beneath heart-shaped leaves, blooming in April.

Most people never see the bloom unless they lift the foliage, since it sits right at soil level.

It forms a dense, shade-loving groundcover and prefers rich, moist forest soil.

28. Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

Blazing Star sends up tall purple flower spikes that open from the top down, an unusual pattern, blooming from July to September.

Butterflies, especially monarchs during migration, use it heavily as a nectar source in late summer.

It tolerates average to moist soil and full sun, and it works well in both formal and wild garden styles.

29. Blue Wood Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium)

This shade-tolerant aster produces pale blue-lavender flowers from September to October, later than most woodland flowers.

It handles dry shade better than almost any other native aster, which makes it valuable under mature trees.

Part to full shade and average soil keep it performing well each fall.

30. Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)

True to its name, this low groundcover produces bright yellow, star-shaped flowers from April through June, sometimes repeating in fall.

It spreads slowly by runners, filling in bare patches without overwhelming neighboring plants.

Part shade and well-drained soil suit it best, often along woodland garden edges.

31. Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

Wild Blue Phlox covers woodland floors with fragrant, pale blue-purple flowers in April and May.

I have caught its scent before spotting the flowers themselves, carried on a light spring breeze through the trees.

It prefers moist, rich soil in part shade, and it attracts early-season butterflies and moths.

ALSO READ: 55 Flowers That Grow in Shade (With Growing Details)

32. Sundial Lupine (Lupinus perennis)

Sundial Lupine produces tall spikes of blue-purple pea-like flowers, blooming in May and June, in dry, sandy, sunny sites.

It is the host plant for the endangered Karner Blue Butterfly, though that species is rare in Virginia today.

Well-drained, poor soil and full sun mimic its natural sandy habitat best.

33. Fire Pink (Silene virginica)

Fire Pink carries a second nod to Virginia in its scientific name. Its brilliant red, star-shaped flowers bloom from April to June.

Hummingbirds visit it frequently, drawn by both the color and the tubular flower shape.

It grows best on rocky slopes or well-drained soil in part sun to light shade.

34. Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Common Milkweed produces rounded clusters of dusty pink, fragrant flowers from June to August, and it remains monarch butterflies’ primary host plant.

Monarch and Xerces Society conservation programs actively encourage planting it, given its direct role in monarch reproduction.

It spreads by rhizomes and tolerates poor, dry soil, so give it space to roam a bit.

35. Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana)

Virginia Rose closes this list fittingly, with simple pink, five-petaled flowers blooming from June to July.

Its bright orange-red hips persist through winter, feeding birds long after the flowers fade and providing color in an otherwise bare garden.

It tolerates poor, sandy soil and coastal conditions, making it a strong choice for exposed or difficult sites.

Why Choose Native Flowers for Your Virginia Garden

Native flowers are not just prettier in a wild sense. They are practical.

They save water. Once established, most native perennials need little to no irrigation, since Virginia’s rainfall pattern already suits them.

They feed wildlife. Monarch butterfly populations have dropped by nearly 80% since the mid-1990s, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Native milkweed and nectar plants are part of the recovery effort.

They resist local pests and disease better than imported plants, because they evolved alongside Virginia’s insects and fungi for thousands of years.

Final Thoughts 

Thirty-five flowers is a lot to take in, but you do not need to plant all of them at once.

Start with three or four species that match your soil and light conditions. Build outward from there as you learn what thrives in your specific yard.

Every native flower you plant is a small act of restoration. Given that pollinator numbers keep declining across the country, that small act matters more than it might seem.

I still think about that first hummingbird visiting my Cardinal Flower. A garden built on native species gives you moments like that, season after season.