Overview
Minnesota's wildflowers span tallgrass prairie in the south and west and north-woods forest and bog in the northeast. The season opens with prairie pasque flowers and builds to summer prairie and the rare, protected lady's slipper orchids.
This guide covers common and iconic Minnesota 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
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
One of the earliest prairie flowers — cup-shaped lavender blooms wrapped in silky, silvery hairs, opening while the grass is still brown.
Showy Lady's Slipper
Cypripedium reginae
Minnesota's state flower — a spectacular native orchid with a white-and-pink pouch on a leafy stem, blooming in wet woods and bogs. Rare and protected.
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
Tall, dense wands of fluffy rose-purple flowers that open from the top down in mid to late summer, a magnet for butterflies on the tallgrass prairie.
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
A milkweed topped with flat clusters of brilliant orange flowers, swarming with butterflies in summer. Its sap is not milky like other milkweeds.
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
A mint-family wildflower with ragged, lavender pom-pom flower heads and a minty scent, humming with bees and hummingbirds in summer prairies.
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A familiar daisy with golden-yellow rays around a dark brown dome, common on prairies and roadsides. Bristly stems and leaves.
Seasonal Guide
- April–May: pasque flowers open on dry prairie bluffs while the grass is still brown.
- June–July: the showy lady's slipper blooms in fens and wet woods — look but never pick.
- July–August: tallgrass prairies peak with blazing star, bergamot, and butterfly weed.
Safety Reminder
The showy lady's slipper is protected by law and must not be picked or dug, and several of these flowers are toxic — enjoy and photograph them in place. This guide is for identification and enjoyment, not foraging.
Identify it instantly
Found something and not sure what it is? Point your camera with Spotter and get a species identification in seconds — with detailed reference info and species notes.