Special Collections

North Carolina Wildflower of the Year

The North Carolina Botanical Garden and the Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc. are co-sponsors of the North Carolina Wildflower of the Year program. In 2011 we celebrated thirty years of this conservation project, which was initiated in 1982. The aim is to actively promote, each year, throughout the state and region an attractive plant that is native to the southeastern United States.

Last Update: 2018-08-04

Print Options: Plant list only | Plant list with images
scientific common duration habit height exposure moisture image detail
Amsonia tabernaemontana Eastern Bluestar Perennial Forb/herb 1-3 ft. Sun, Part Shade Average detail
Aquilegia canadensis Eastern Columbine Perennial Forb/herb 1-3 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average detail
Asclepias incarnata Swamp Milkweed Perennial Forb/herb 3-6 ft. Sun, Part Shade Moist detail
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly Milkweed Perennial Forb/herb 1-3 ft. Sun, Part Shade Dry, Average, Well-drained detail
Baptisia albescens Spiked Wild Indigo Perennial Forb/herb 2-3 ft. Sun, Part Shade Dry, Average, Well-drained detail
Baptisia australis Tall Blue Wild Indigo Perennial Forb/herb 2-3 ft. Sun, Part Shade Average detail
Blephilia ciliata Downy Woodmint Perennial Forb/herb 1-2.5 ft. (Spread 1-1.5 ft.) Sun, Part Shade Dry, Average detail
Callicarpa americana American Beautyberry Perennial Shrub 4-8 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average detail
Ceanothus americanus New Jersey Tea Perennial Subshrub, Shrub 3-4 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average, Well-drained detail
Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush Perennial Tree, Shrub 4-8 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Average, Moist detail
Chasmanthium latifolium River Oats Perennial Graminoid 2-4 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Average, Moist detail
Chrysopsis mariana Maryland Golden-aster Perennial Forb/herb 1-2 ft. Sun, Part Shade Dry, Average, Well-drained detail
Coreopsis auriculata Lobed Tickseed Perennial Forb/herb 6-8 in. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average, Well-drained detail
Eryngium yuccifolium Northern Rattlesnake-master Perennial Forb/herb 2-4 ft. Sun Dry, Average detail
Eupatorium perfoliatum Boneset Perennial Forb/herb 3-4 ft. Sun, Part Shade Average, Moist detail
Eurybia divaricata White Wood Aster Perennial Forb/herb 1-2 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average, Moist detail
Eutrochium fistulosum Hollow-stem Joe-pye-weed Perennial Forb/herb 5-8 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Average, Moist detail
Helianthus angustifolius Swamp Sunflower Perennial Forb/herb 1-6 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Average, Moist detail
Heuchera americana American Alumroot Perennial Forb/herb 6-10 in. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average, Well-drained detail
Hibiscus moscheutos Crimson-eyed Rose-mallow Annual, Perennial Subshrub, Forb/herb 4-6 ft. Sun, Part Shade Average, Moist detail
Kosteletzkya virginica Seashore-mallow Perennial Subshrub, Forb/herb 5-6 ft. Sun, Part Shade Average, Moist detail
Liatris squarrulosa Southern Blazing-star Perennial Forb/herb 2 to 6 ft. Sun, Part Shade Dry, Average detail
Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal Flower Perennial Forb/herb 2-4 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Average, Moist detail
Lobelia siphilitica Great Blue Lobelia Perennial Forb/herb 1.5-4 ft. Sun, Part Shade Average detail
Marshallia obovata var. obovata Piedmont Barbara's-buttons Perennial Forb/herb 1-2 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average detail
Oenothera fruticosa Southern Sundrops Perennial Forb/herb 1-2 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average detail
Penstemon laevigatus Eastern Smooth Beardtongue Perennial Forb/herb 1-4 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average detail
Penstemon smallii Small’s Beardtongue Perennial Forb/herb 18-24 in. Sun, Part Shade Average, Well-drained detail
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Narrow-leaf Mountain-mint Perennial Forb/herb 1-2 1/2 ft. Sun, Part Shade Dry, Average, Moist detail
Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii Black-eyed-Susan 2-3 ft. Sun Average detail
Rudbeckia laciniata Green-head Coneflower Perennial Subshrub, Forb/herb 3-7 ft. Sun, Part Shade Average, Moist detail
Sabatia angularis Common Marsh-pink Annual Forb/herb 8-32 in. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average, Moist detail
Scutellaria incana var. punctata Hoary Skullcap Perennial Forb/herb 1-3 ft. Sun, Part Shade Average detail
Silene virginica Fire Pink Perennial Forb/herb 12-18 in. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average, Well-drained detail
Symphyotrichum concolor Eastern Silvery Aster Perennial Forb/herb 1 1/2-4 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average detail
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium Eastern Aromatic Aster Perennial Forb/herb 3 ft. Sun, Part Shade Dry, Average detail
Tiarella cordifolia var. collina Foamflower Perennial Forb/herb 6-12 in.; spread-1 ft. Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Moist detail
Vernonia noveboracensis New York Ironweed Perennial Forb/herb 3-7 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Average, Moist detail
Zephyranthes atamasca Atamasco Lily Perennial Forb/herb 6-8 in. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average, Moist detail
Zizia aurea Common Golden Alexanders Perennial Forb/herb 1-2.5 ft. Sun, Part Shade, Shade (full-shade) Dry, Average, Moist detail