Wildflowers

Wildflowers grow in many kinds of soil in places ranging from cold lands to tropical areas, and from swamps to deserts. Many wildflowers are appreciated for their beauty, but some, such as the dandelion, are considered weeds. Wildflowers can be annuals, biennials, and perennials. There are more than 100 families and 15,000 species of wildflowers (including grasses, sedges, and rushes) in North America alone.

Wildflowers are generally divided into these eight classes:

Woodland Flowers

grow best in rich, moist soil in shady, wooded areas. Examples: Violet, Indian pipe, fringed polygala, and Virginia bluebell.

Prairie Flowers

thrive in the sunny plains area of North America, usually in moderately dry soil. Examples: Indian paintbrush, snow-on-the-mountain, fringed gentian, blazing star, and sunflower.

Desert Flowers,

such as those in the southwestern United States, must withstand long periods of extreme heat and little moisture. Many desert flowers have thick, fleshy, spine-covered stems that ward off animals and serve as water reservoirs. Examples: yucca, prickly pear, and sagebrush.

Mountain Flowers

are among the showiest and most colorful wildflowers. Many have tough, hairy stems, or tough, hard leaves and stems that protect them against deep snows. Examples: bitteroot, harebell, monkey flower, and edelweiss.

Water Flowers

thrive in sunny areas wherever there is a plentiful supply of moisture—in or near streams, ponds, lakes, bogs, or wet meadows. Some have hollow, waxy-coated stems that help make the flower more buoyant. Examples: water lily, marsh marigold, skunk cabbage, and bladderwort.

Roadside and Meadow Flowers

grow well in dry soil in sunny areas. These flowers often line back roads or spread over large areas in meadows. Examples: goldenrod, wild carrot, nightshade, buttercup, aster, and foxglove.

Seashore Flowers,

less colorful than other groups of wildflowers, are able to thrive in salty, seaside soil. Like other moisture-seeking flowers, they have stems that are protected by waxy coatings. Examples: beach pea, marsh pink, sea lavender, beach plum, and saltwort.

Tropical Flowers

are the largest and most colorful of all wildflowers. They grow in hot, humid areas, such as Central and South America, southern Asia, and Africa. Examples: wandering Jew, giant krubi, bullhorn acacia, pelican flower, handflower, and numerous species of orchids.