60 wildflowers were recorded blooming in District of Columbia in May in our iNaturalist sample; 27 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top wildflowers in May
Multiflora Rose
Japanese honeysuckle
Yellow Iris
White Clover
Mountain Laurel
American tuliptree
Common Pawpaw
Partridgeberry
Red Clover
Chicory
Catchweed Bedstraw
Mapleleaf Viburnum
All wildflowers blooming in District of Columbia in May
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiflora Rose | Rosa multiflora | rose family | 41 | May (peak) |
| 2 | Japanese honeysuckle | Lonicera japonica | honeysuckle family | 29 | May (peak) |
| 3 | Yellow Iris | Iris pseudacorus | iris family | 26 | May (peak) |
| 4 | White Clover | Trifolium repens | Legumes | 24 | May (peak) |
| 5 | Mountain Laurel | Kalmia latifolia | heath family | 22 | May (peak) |
| 6 | American tuliptree | Liriodendron tulipifera | magnolia family | 21 | Apr (past peak) |
| 7 | Common Pawpaw | Asimina triloba | custard-apples | 20 | Apr (past peak) |
| 8 | Partridgeberry | Mitchella repens | madder family | 20 | May (peak) |
| 9 | Red Clover | Trifolium pratense | Legumes | 19 | May (peak) |
| 10 | Chicory | Cichorium intybus | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 18 | Jun (rising) |
| 11 | Catchweed Bedstraw | Galium aparine | madder family | 16 | Apr (past peak) |
| 12 | Mapleleaf Viburnum | Viburnum acerifolium | elder family | 15 | May (peak) |
| 13 | Amur honeysuckle | Lonicera maackii | honeysuckle family | 15 | Apr (past peak) |
| 14 | Border Privet | Ligustrum obtusifolium | olive family | 12 | May (peak) |
| 15 | Bird's-Eye Speedwell | Veronica persica | Plantain Family | 11 | Mar (past peak) |
| 16 | common star-of-Bethlehem | Ornithogalum umbellatum | agave and allies | 11 | Apr (past peak) |
| 17 | Azure Bluet | Houstonia caerulea | madder family | 11 | Apr (past peak) |
| 18 | Ground-Ivy | Glechoma hederacea | Mint Family | 9 | Apr (past peak) |
| 19 | Eastern Poison Ivy | Toxicodendron radicans | Cashew Family | 9 | May (peak) |
| 20 | Yellow Sweetclover | Melilotus officinalis | Legumes | 8 | May (peak) |
| 21 | American cancer-root | Conopholis americana | broomrape family | 8 | May (peak) |
| 22 | Strawberry Bush | Euonymus americanus | staff-vine family | 8 | May (peak) |
| 23 | Mock Strawberry | Potentilla indica | rose family | 8 | Apr (past peak) |
| 24 | Solomon's plume | Maianthemum racemosum | agave and allies | 7 | May (peak) |
| 25 | Lyreleaf Sage | Salvia lyrata | Mint Family | 7 | May (peak) |
| 26 | Princess Tree | Paulownia tomentosa | foxglove tree family | 7 | Apr (past peak) |
| 27 | Red Columbine | Aquilegia canadensis | buttercup family | 6 | Apr (past peak) |
| 28 | Dove's-foot crane's-bill | Geranium molle | Geranium family | 6 | Apr (past peak) |
| 29 | Ribwort Plantain | Plantago lanceolata | Plantain Family | 6 | May (peak) |
| 30 | Common Vetch | Vicia sativa | Legumes | 6 | Apr (past peak) |
| 31 | Cucumber Root | Medeola virginiana | lily family | 6 | May (peak) |
| 32 | Garlic Mustard | Alliaria petiolata | mustard family | 6 | Apr (past peak) |
| 33 | Philadelphia fleabane | Erigeron philadelphicus | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 6 | May (peak) |
| 34 | Carolina horsenettle | Solanum carolinense | nightshade family | 5 | Jun (rising) |
| 35 | Field Bindweed | Convolvulus arvensis | bindweed family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 36 | Black Locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | Legumes | 5 | Apr (past peak) |
| 37 | Carolina crane's-bill | Geranium carolinianum | Geranium family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 38 | clasping Venus's looking glass | Triodanis perfoliata | bellflower family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 39 | Tall Blue Wild Indigo | Baptisia australis | Legumes | 5 | May (peak) |
| 40 | Oriental false hawksbeard | Youngia japonica | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 5 | May (peak) |
| 41 | Summer Bluet | Houstonia purpurea | madder family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 42 | Field madder | Sherardia arvensis | madder family | 4 | Apr (past peak) |
| 43 | Mayapple | Podophyllum peltatum | barberry family | 4 | Apr (past peak) |
| 44 | White Fringetree | Chionanthus virginicus | olive family | 4 | May (peak) |
| 45 | Black Medick | Medicago lupulina | Legumes | 4 | Apr (past peak) |
| 46 | Annual Fleabane | Erigeron annuus | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 4 | May (peak) |
| 47 | Virginia waterleaf | Hydrophyllum virginianum | borage family | 4 | Apr (past peak) |
| 48 | Foxglove Beardtongue | Penstemon digitalis | Plantain Family | 4 | May (peak) |
| 49 | Small-Flowered Buttercup | Ranunculus abortivus | buttercup family | 4 | Apr (past peak) |
| 50 | Asian mazus | Mazus pumilus | mazus family | 4 | Apr (past peak) |