Blue Ridge Blooms Schedule

Do you have a particular plant you love to see in bloom? A flower that reminds you of someone special to you or that invokes a precious memory from your past? Magnolia booms remind me of my old home in the Deep South. Flaming Azaleas remind me of a very special picnic I had with my son when he was 2 years old. Buttercups remind me of growing up as a child in Virginia and solomans seal makes me think of my time spent in herb school and all the wonderful people I met.

I happen to be a planner and I take great joy in knowing when what is in bloom to make sure I do not miss out on all the beauty they have to offer. I have gathered the Blue Ridge bloom schedule to share with you in hopes to connect you all even more to this incredible area. Perhaps you will see a flower in bloom that you have never seen before and from that point on when you see it you will think of the time you stayed at the Wildberry Lodge and went on a scenic drive.

Flower                                 Peak              Mile post

Skunk Cabbage

(Sympocarpus foetidus)     Feb-Mar        176.1, 185.8, 217.0

Dandelion

(Taraxacum officinale)       Feb-June       Common along roadside.

Dwarf Iris

(Iris Verna)   Mar-Apr         260.5

Spring Beauty

(Claytonia caroliniana)       Mar-Apr         Craggy PA

Mayapple

(Podophyllum peltatum)   Mar-Apr         76.2-76.4, 296-297, 315-317, 320.8, 339.5

Serviceberry

(Amelanchier arborea)       Mar-May       241-242, 294-297, 308.3, 347.6, 368-370

Silver-Bell Tree

(Halesia carolina)    Mar-May       344.1-355.3

Birdfoot Violet

(Viola pedata)           Mar-May       147.4, 202, 260.5, 379

Buttercups

(Rannunculus hispidus)    Mar-June      Common along roadside

Squirrel Corn

(Dicentra canadensis)         Apr-May        Craggy PA, 458.2- Heintooga Spur Rd.

Tulip Poplar

(Liriodendron tulipifera)   Apr-May        Common in low woods and coves.

Indian Paintbrush

(Castilleja coccinea)            Apr-May        369-371

Great Chickweed

(Stellaria pubera)     Apr-May        Common in rich, moist woods.

Soloman’s Seal

(Polyganatum biflorum)    Apr-May        Common on moist wooded slopes, coves.

Fringed Phacelia

(Phacelia fimbriata)            Apr-May        370-375

Bloodroot

(Sanguinara canadensis)    Apr-May        85.6, 191-193, 198.7, 294

Princess Tree

(Paulownia tomentosa)

Apr-May        100-123, 381-382, 396, 400

Golden Groundsel

(Senecio aureus)      Apr-May        29.1, 85.8 PA, 330-340

Pinxter Flower

(Rhododendron nudiflorum)        Apr-May        4, 92-97, 138.6, 145.5, 154.5 PA, 162.9, 211.6, 217-222, 350-351, 412-423

Heal All

(Prunella vulgaris)  Apr-frost        Common along roadside

Trillium

(Trillium spp.)          Apr-May        175, 200-216, 339-340, 364.6

Fetterbush

(Leucothoc racemosa)        Late Apr-May           241.1, 379

Redbud

(Cercia canadensis) Late Apr-May           54-68

Dutchman’s Breeches

(Dicentra cucullaria)           Apr-June       367.6 PA, 458.2

Foam Flower

(Tiarella cordifolia) Apr-June       296.9, 339.5, 367.7 PA

False Soloman’s Seal

(Smilacina racemosa)         Apr-June       Common along roadside

Black Locust

(Robinia pseudo-acacia)    Apr-June       100-123, 367-368, 383

Witch Hobble-Hobblebush

(Vibumum alnifolium)       Apr-June       295.5, 362-367, higher elevations in rich, moist woods.

Carolina Rhododendron

(Rhododendron minus)     Late Apr-June          308-310, 404-411

Dogwood

(Cornus florida)       May    6, 85.8 PA, 154.5 PA, 230-232, 217-219, 378-282

Large Flowered Trillium

(Trillium grandiflorum)     May    3-7, 64-85, 154.5 PA, 168-169, 175, 330-340, 370-375

Fraser Magnolia

(Magnolia fraseri)   May    173-174, 252-253

Bluets

(Houstonia spp.)      May-June      200.2, 355-368 PA

Field Hawkweed

(Hieracium pratense)         May-June      6, 78.4, 165.5, 229.5, 325-330

Wild Geranium

(Geranium maculatum)     May-June      84-86, 170-172, 211.6, 375

Hawthorne

(Crataegus spp.)       May-June      155-176, 365.6, 368

Small’s Groundsel

(Senecio smallii)      May-June      29.1, 85.8 PA, 330-340

Bristly Locust

(Robinia hispida)     May-June      167-174, 308.3, 347.9

Pinkshell

(Rhododendron vaseyi)     May-June      305.2, 342-343, 349-351, 419-424

Red Berried Elder

(Sambucus pubens) May-June      355-360, 369, 412-425, higher elevations in rich, moist woods.

(Rhododendron calendulaceum) May-June      138.6, 144-145, 149.5, 164-166, 217-221, 308-310, 368-380, 412-423

Fire Pink PA,

(Silene virginica)     May-June      1-2, 85.8 PA, 154.5 241 PA, 339.3 PA, 367-375, 404-408

Allegheny Blackberry

(Rubus allegheniesis)         May-June      6, 167.2, 239.9, 305-315, 339.5, 367.6

Staghorn Sumac

(Rhus typhina)         May-June      Common along roadside in dry, rocky areas.

Bowman’s Root

(Gillenia trifoliata)  May-June      24-25, 149.5, 260, 332, 368-369

Bead Lily

(Clintonia unbellulata)       May-June      Common in rich, moist deciduous woods.

New Jersey Tea

(Ceanothus americanus)    May-June      42-43, 91-100, 138.4, 197, 211, 241, 328.6

Dodder or Love Vine

(Cuscuta rostrata)   Aug-Sep         Common along roadside

Spiraca

(Spiraca japonica)    June-July      368-378

Bittersweet

(Celastrus orbiculatus)       May-June Aug-Sep (berry)            242.4, 383, 394, 396

Galax

(Galax aphylla)         May-July       Common in deciduous forests, open rocky areas.

Fly Poison

(Amianthium muscaetoxicum)     May-July       210-216, 406-408

Phlox

(Phlox carolina)       May-July       4, 79-82, 163-164, 200-202, 219-221, 339.3 PA, 370-380

Columbine

(Aquilegia canadensis)       May-July       74-75, 339.3 PA, 370-378

Bladder Campion

(Silene cucubalus)   May-Aug        376-381

Queen Anne’s Lace

(Daucus carota)

May-Sep        Common along open fields and roadside.

Virginia Spiderwort

(Tradescantia subaspera)   Late May-July          85.8 Sharp Top Trail, 380-381

Mountain Laurel

(Kalmia latifolia)     Late May-June         130.5, 162.9, 347.9, 380, 400

Catawba Rhododendron

(Rhododendron catawbiesne)       June   44.9, 77-83, 130.5, 138.6, 239, 247, 266.8, 348-350, 364.1

Viper’s Bugloss

(Echium vulgare)     June   May-40

Sundrop

(Oenothera fruticosa)         June   8-10, 89-91, 229, 270.6, 351-352, 355-360, 370-375

Tree of Heaven

(Ailanthus altissima)          June July-Oct (berry)         382, common along roadside in Virginia.

Goat’s Beard

(Aruncus dioicus)    June   10-11, 24, 240, 337.6, 370-375

Butterfly Weed

(Asclepias tuberosa)            June-Aug       63-65, 238-246

Beard-Tongue

(Penstemon spp.)    June-July      44.4, 89-91, 154.5 PA, 254.4, 339-340, 370-372

American Elder

(Sambucus canadensis)      June-July      29, 85.8 PA, 136-138, 272-275, 311.2

Fragrant Thimbleberry

(Rubus odoratus)    June-July      18, 74.7, 339.3 PA 369-372, 406-408

White Rhododendron

(Rhododendron maximum)          June-July      162.9, 169 PA, 232-233, 339.3 PA, 352-353, 455-456

Sourwood

(Oxydendrum arboreum)  June-July      102-106, 231-232, 321-327, 375-380

Mountain Ash

(Sorbus americana) June-July (bloom) Sep-Oct (berry)          Higher elevation spruce-fir forests, Mt. Mitchell, Mt. Pisgah.

False Hellebore    June-Aug       364.6, Craggy Gardens

Deptford Pink

(Dianthus aemeria) June-Aug       Common along grassy roadsides.

Coreopsis

(Coreopsis pubescens)        June-Aug       29.6, 77, 157, 190, 306

Butter and Eggs

(Linaria vulgaris)     June-Aug       Common along roadsides and waste places.

Turkscap Lily

(Lilium superbum)  June-Aug       187.6, 364-368, 406-411

Mullein

(Verbasxum thapsus)          June-Sep       Common along roadside on dry banks.

Bull Thistle

(Carduus lanceolatus)        Late June-frost        Common alongroad sides & pastures at lower elevations.

Black Cohosh

(Cimicifuga racemosa)       July    6, 85.8 PA, 169 PA, 374

Tall Meadow-Rue

(Thalictrum polygamum)   July    85.8 PA, 155.2, 248

Fleabane

(Erigeron strigosus)            July    Common in fields and along roadside.

Ox-Eye Daisy

(Chrysanthemum leucanthemum)          July    Common in fields and along roadside.

Yarrow

(Achillea millefolium)        July    Common in fields and along roadside.

Black-Eyed Susan

(Rudbeckia hirta)    July    Common in fields and along roadside.

Common Milkweed

(Asclepias syriaca)   July-Aug        85-86, 167-176

Bergamot Beebalm

(Monarda fistulosa)            July-Aug        38.8, 368-374

Tall Coneflower

(Rudbeckia laciniata)          July-Aug        36, 161.2, 228.1, 314, 359-368

Oswego Tea

(Monarda didyma)  July-Aug        Common in wet areas at higher elevations.

Starry Campion

(Silene stellata)        July-Sep        378-380

Bellflower

(Campanula americana)     July-Sep        370-375

White Snakeroot

(Eupatorium rugosum)      July-Oct         Common along roadside.

Jewel Weed

(Impatiens capensis)          Aug     Common along roadside in wet areas.

Boneset

(Eupatorium rugosum)      Aug     29.1, 85.8 PA, 151, 247, 314

Ironweed

(Venonia noveboracensis) Aug     245, 248

Joe-Pye-Weed

(Eupatorium purpureum)  Aug     6, 85.8 PA, 146, 248, 339.3 PA, 357-359

Pokeberry

(Phytolacca americana)      Aug     6, 74.7, 151, 239.9, 323, 376.9

Cardinal Flower

(Lobelia cardinalis) Aug     Infrequently in wet places

Virgins Bower

(Clematis virginiana)          Aug     131.1, 85.8 PA, 176.1, 285-289, 313-370

Blazing Star

(Liatris spicata)        Aug-Sep         305.1, 369-370

Angelica

(Angelica triquinata)           Aug-Sep         294.7, 339.5, 355, Craggy Gardens, Nature Trails

Nodding Lady Tresses

(Spiranthes cernua) Aug-frost       365-368

Gentian

(Gentiana quinquefolia)     Late Aug-frost          85.8, 363-368

Goldenrod

(Solidago spp.)         Sep      Common in fields and along roadside.

Aster

(Aster spp.)   Sep      Common in fields and along roadside.

Yellow Ironweed

(Actinomeris alternifolia)  Sep-Oct          6, 88, 154.5, 271.9, 330.8

Witch Hazel

(Hamamelis virginiana)     Late Sep-Oct 130.5, 293.3, 295.4, 305.1, 308.3, 339.5, 347.6, 367.7

Written by Kate Williams