For generations, long before there was a nursery industry, people planted and enjoyed wildflowers. They harvested seeds, cuttings and plants from the wild, experimented with various propagation techniques and incorporated their favorite plants into their landscapes. Many of these plants were valued not only for their ornamental qualities but also for their culinary or medicinal uses. Those that were proven performers and adapted well to domestication became “pass along” plants that were shared with friends, relatives and neighbors.
As the nursery industry evolved in the 1800s, exotic plants were imported from foreign lands. Soon native plants became diluted with exotic plants in the product mix. The buying public generally became more interested in the dazzling qualities of new plants than in whether plants were native or imported from another country. As a result, approximately 80 percent of the plants in the nursery trade today are non-native exotics.
Today, there is renewed interest in “going native” and restoring diversity to our landscapes by planting native plants. The reasons for this are many and varied. Planting a native plant lends a historical sense of pride to a gardener who grows a plant that early pioneers or even Native American Indians may have planted. Furthermore, regionally-adapted native plants have developed a natural resistance to pests and a tolerance to drought, ice storms and other environmental extremes common to the area.
Some native plants provide food or shelter for wildlife and create “watchable wildlife habitats.” In his book Bringing Nature Home, Douglas Tallamy explains “the unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife,” especially the native insect populations that form the broad base of the food chain. “When native plants disappear or are replaced by exotic species, native insects disappear, thereby impoverishing the food sources for birds and other animals,” he says. The loss or decline of native plant populations through urban development and habitat destruction or by encroachment from invasive exotic species changes the whole biology and balance of an ecosystem.
Georgia is blessed with a diversity of native wildflowers that put on spectacular displays across the state each spring and summer. From the swamps of the Coastal Plain to the mountains of North Georgia, brilliant blooms carpet meadows, woodlands, and roadsides.
Wildflowers not only add beauty to the landscape, they also provide food and habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. Birds, bees, butterflies, and more depend on native plants like wildflowers to thrive By learning about these wildflowers and incorporating them into gardens and landscapes, we can help support local ecosystems.
There are hundreds of wildflower species native to Georgia, but some of the most popular and easily recognized are described below.
Common Wildflowers of Georgia
Black-Eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is a classic wildflower that brightens fields and roadsides with its daisy-like yellow flowers from summer into fall. It thrives in full sun and is a tough, adaptable plant that attracts butterflies.
Purple Coneflower
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a common sight in Georgia gardens thanks to its long bloom period and tolerance of heat and drought. The pink-purple flowers with brown, spiny centers are loved by butterflies and make excellent cut flowers.
Partridge Pea
Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) stands out with its large yellow blooms marked with a splash of red. This legume thrives in dry, sandy soils and reseeds readily, making it ideal for naturalizing.
Butterfly Weed
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) earns its name as a prime food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars. The bright orange flowers also attract adult butterflies and hummingbirds.
Cardinal Flower
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) makes a bold statement in moist areas and along streams with its spikes of brilliant red flowers loved by hummingbirds.
Great Blue Lobelia
Similar to Cardinal Flower but with light blue blooms, Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) thrives in wetlands and attracts both hummingbirds and butterflies.
Beebalm
With its shaggy-looking flowers in shades of pink red or purple, Beebalm (Monarda spp.) is a favorite of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Ironweed
Ironweed (Vernonia spp.) stands tall in meadows and prairies, bearing intense purple flower clusters that butterflies flock to.
Goldenrod
Blanketing fields and roadsides in sunny yellow flowers in late summer and fall, Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) supports a wide variety of pollinators.
Coreopsis
Coreopsis offers weeks of cheery, daisy-form flowers in shades of yellow and gold. Species like Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) thrive in hot, dry conditions.
Columbine
Columbine’s (Aquilegia canadensis) bell-shaped red and yellow blooms are hallmarks of spring. Hummingbirds love them.
Blue-Eyed Grass
Despite its name, Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) is actually an iris with grass-like foliage and vivid blue flowers with yellow centers.
Phlox
A number of phlox species bring billowing color to Georgia forests and meadows. Some popular options include Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata) and Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata).
Milkweed
Important food sources for monarch caterpillars, milkweeds like Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) have beautifully fragrant flower clusters that attract butterflies.
How to Add More Native Wildflowers to Your Landscape
Here are some tips for incorporating more Georgia wildflowers into your garden or landscape:
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Choose a variety of wildflowers with different bloom times to provide color from spring through fall.
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Select wildflowers native to your particular region or habitat type within Georgia for best results.
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Prepare the planting area properly by removing existing weeds/grasses and improving the soil with compost or other organic matter. Most wildflowers prefer relatively infertile soil.
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Sow wildflower seeds in fall or early winter for bloom the following spring and summer. Spring seeding is also an option for some species.
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Water new wildflower plantings occasionally until established then taper off as most species prefer drier conditions once settled in.
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Maintain your wildflower planting by removing invasive weeds, reseeding/replanting every 2-3 years to keep flower production vibrant.
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Avoid using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers which can harm pollinators and create overly lush growth vulnerable to disease in wildflowers.
With their resilience, beauty and benefits to wildlife, native wildflowers are an excellent addition to any Georgia garden or landscape. A patchwork of wildflowers can transform yards and even roadside ditches into thriving wildlife habitat that brings joy to people as well. By sustainably incorporating these wild blooms, we can help preserve Georgia’s rich flora heritage.
Creeping Phlox / Phlox stolonifera Family: Phlox / Polemoniaceae
Life Cycle: Perennial
Characteristics: This is a mat-forming, creeping plant with semi-evergreen foliage. Leaves are oblong to oval, up to 3 inches long. From July to September, clusters of fragrant lavender flowers, 3⁄4 inch long, are borne on the tops of flowering stalks. Each flower consists of a short tube and five rounded, spreading lobes. The plant spreads by stolons that creep along the ground.
Cultural Requirements: Creeping Phlox prefers partial shade and moist, well-drained soil.
Landscape Uses: Use Creeping Phlox as a groundcover in moist woodlands.
Size: 1⁄2 to 1 foot tall and spreading
Hardiness Zones: All of Georgia
Habitat: Rich hardwood forests, wooded areas and stream banks, especially on nutrient-rich substrates
Native To: Vermont to Ohio, south to Alabama, east to Georgia
Propagation: Seed, cuttings or division Seed: Collect capsules when they turn brown. Place them in a paper bag, then crush the bag with a rolling pin to release the seeds from the capsules. Store the seeds dry at 40 °F for two months before planting them in outdoor flats. Light enhances germination so cover the seeds lightly with the germination medium. Cuttings: Take stem cuttings with three to four nodes from August to September. Dip the cut ends in a rooting hormone to enhance rooting. Division: Plants can be divided in fall or winter.
Comments: Creeping Phlox does poorly in full sun and drought-prone sites. Under good cultural conditions, it can become weedy and creep into areas where it is not wanted.
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Lyre-leaf Sage / Salvia lyrata Family: Mint / Lamiaceae
Life Cycle: Perennial
Characteristics: This plant has a low-growing clumping growth habit. It has a basal rosette of purplish-green leaves, 4 to 8 inches long. The leaves are widest above their middle and deeply lobed. Stems are square. Stem leaves are few, small and in pairs. The leaves are evergreen and aromatic when crushed. Flowers are borne in small whorls aroundthe upper parts of stems in early spring. They are pale blue to white. The plant spreads by seeds.
Cultural Requirements: Plant Lyre-leaf Sage in full sun to partial shade. It is tolerant of a wide range of soil moisture levels, from dry to wet. It is also low-maintenance, easy to cultivate and self-seeding. Mow the planting after seed formation to scatter the seeds and to encourage its spread. If self-seeding is not desired, deadhead after flowering.
Landscape Uses: This is an easy plant to establish from seed in dry or seasonally wet sites in partial shade or full sun. Plant it in open meadows, along roadsides and in thin woodlands for a striking spring color show. It also is a favorite plant of hummingbirds and butterflies.
Size: The basal rosette of leaves is low-growing, 2 to 4 inches high. Flower spikes rise 1 to 2 feet above the leaves.
Hardiness Zones: All of Georgia
Habitat: Roadsides, meadows, forests and open woodlands
Native To: Eastern half of the U.S.
Propagation: Seed, cuttings or division Seed: Cut off flower stalks when they turn brown, then place them in a paper bag to dry and release their seeds. Store seeds dry at 40oF for planting the following February. Warm temperatures (70 °F+) and light are required for germination. Cuttings: Stem cuttings can be taken in spring before flowerbuds form. Division: Divide plants in fall or spring.
Comments: This plant spreads readily from seed and can be aggressive.
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Wildflower Meadow Walk at Gibbs Gardens in Georgia!
FAQ
Where to find wildflowers in Georgia?
- Cloudland Canyon State Park.
- Tallulah Gorge State Park.
- Amicalola Falls State Park.
- Providence Canyon State Park.
- Red Top Mountain State Park.
- Sweetwater Creek State Park.
- Fort Yargo State Park.
- Black Rock Mountain State Park.
Can I just sprinkle wildflower seeds on the ground?
and they need sunlight to germinate. So you don’t actually bury wildflower seeds, you can just sprinkle them on top of the soil. You can just season the earth.Apr 26, 2023
When to spread wildflower seeds in Georgia?
Most perennial wildflower seeds can be planted between October and December. Cosmos mix and other warm season annuals should be planted mid-April to mid-May.
What is the common flower in Georgia?
Camelias have been an integral part of Georgia since its founding as a colony, and the American Camelia Society is based in the state. The flower’s blooms come in a variety of sizes and range in color from white to faint pink and light red. They bloom in cool weather.