FG-0065 · Wildflowers · 6 species
Wildflowers of Florida
By Derek Gauger · Updated
Overview
Florida's warm climate means wildflowers somewhere in the state almost every month, with big shows along roadsides and in pine flatwoods and prairies from spring through fall. The state has adopted tickseed (Coreopsis) as its official wildflower.
This guide covers common and iconic Florida wildflowers — how to recognize them and when they bloom. Photograph the flower and leaves and use the app to confirm any bloom you find.
Key species to know
FG-0065.01
Tickseed
Coreopsis leavenworthii
Nearly year-round
Florida's state wildflower — a cheerful daisy with golden-yellow rays around a dark center, blooming in bright roadside sweeps for much of the year.
Habitat: Roadsides, wet flatwoods, and ditches statewide.
FG-0065.02
Blanketflower
Gaillardia pulchella
Spring–fall
A daisy with red rays tipped in yellow, forming warm bands of color on dunes and roadsides. Tough and drought-hardy along the coast.
Habitat: Coastal dunes, roadsides, and sandy open ground.
FG-0065.03
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Spring–summer
A familiar daisy with golden-yellow rays around a dark brown dome, common in meadows and along roads. Bristly stems and leaves.
Habitat: Fields, roadsides, and open pinelands.
FG-0065.04
Spanish Needles
Bidens alba
Year-round
A weedy but valuable wildflower with small white-rayed, yellow-centered daisies that bloom year-round and feed countless pollinators.
Habitat: Disturbed ground, roadsides, and yards statewide.
FG-0065.05
Blazing Star
Liatris gracilis
August–November
Tall wands of fluffy rose-purple flowers that open from the top down in late summer and fall, glowing in the pine flatwoods.
Habitat: Sandy pinelands, scrub, and flatwoods.
FG-0065.06
Purple Passionflower
Passiflora incarnata
May–September
An intricate lavender flower with a fringed crown over three-lobed leaves, climbing on vines. Also called maypop; a host plant for fritillary butterflies.
Habitat: Field edges, fences, and disturbed ground.
Through the seasons
- Spring: roadsides fill with tickseed, blanketflower, and phlox.
- Late summer–fall: blazing stars and asters color the pine flatwoods.
- Florida's Wildflower license plate funds native plantings you'll see blooming along many highways.
Questions
- What is the state wildflower of Florida?
- Tickseed (the genus Coreopsis) — a group of golden daisies adopted as Florida's official wildflower and widely planted along highways.
- How can I identify a Florida wildflower?
- Note the flower color and shape, leaves, and habitat, then take a photo and use an app like Spotter to identify the species and its bloom season.
From Field Notes
- How to Identify Wildflowers on the Trail: A Practical Guide
- What Is the Purple Daisy-Like Wildflower Blooming in Fall? Identifying Asters
- What Is the Tall Pink-Purple Wildflower Buzzing With Butterflies in Late Summer? Identifying Joe-Pye Weed
- What Is Spotted Knapweed? Identifying the Invasive Purple Wildflower
Not sure what you found?
Take a photo with Spotter for the name, field marks, look-alikes and safety notes in seconds.
In this guide
- Species
- 6
- Edible
- 0
- Toxic
- 0
- Region
- Florida