60 wildflowers were recorded blooming in Rhode Island in August in our iNaturalist sample; 25 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top wildflowers in August
Cardinal Flower
Common Jewelweed
Common Tansy
Sweet Pepperbush
black-eyed Susan
Butterfly Milkweed
Swamp Milkweed
Wild Carrot
Swamp Rose Mallow
Rugosa Rose
Porcelain Berry
Blue Vervain
All wildflowers blooming in Rhode Island in August
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardinal Flower | Lobelia cardinalis | bellflower family | 42 | Aug (peak) |
| 2 | Common Jewelweed | Impatiens capensis | balsam family | 41 | Aug (peak) |
| 3 | Common Tansy | Tanacetum vulgare | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 35 | Aug (peak) |
| 4 | Sweet Pepperbush | Clethra alnifolia | clethra family | 32 | Aug (peak) |
| 5 | black-eyed Susan | Rudbeckia hirta | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 29 | Jul (past peak) |
| 6 | Butterfly Milkweed | Asclepias tuberosa | Dogbane Family | 27 | Jul (past peak) |
| 7 | Swamp Milkweed | Asclepias incarnata | Dogbane Family | 27 | Jul (past peak) |
| 8 | Wild Carrot | Daucus carota | carrot family | 21 | Aug (peak) |
| 9 | Swamp Rose Mallow | Hibiscus moscheutos | Mallow and Hibiscus Family | 19 | Aug (peak) |
| 10 | Rugosa Rose | Rosa rugosa | rose family | 19 | Jul (past peak) |
| 11 | Porcelain Berry | Ampelopsis glandulosa | Grape Family | 15 | Aug (peak) |
| 12 | Blue Vervain | Verbena hastata | Verbena Family | 14 | Aug (peak) |
| 13 | Purple Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | lythrum family | 13 | Aug (peak) |
| 14 | Common Toadflax | Linaria vulgaris | Plantain Family | 12 | Aug (peak) |
| 15 | Allegheny monkeyflower | Mimulus ringens | lopseed family | 11 | Jul (past peak) |
| 16 | American groundnut | Apios americana | Legumes | 11 | Jul (past peak) |
| 17 | Panicled Hawkweed | Hieracium paniculatum | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 10 | Aug (peak) |
| 18 | Japanese honeysuckle | Lonicera japonica | honeysuckle family | 9 | Jul (past peak) |
| 19 | Shining Sumac | Rhus copallinum | Cashew Family | 9 | Aug (peak) |
| 20 | Downy Rattlesnake Plantain | Goodyera pubescens | Orchids | 8 | Aug (peak) |
| 21 | Bird's-Foot Trefoil | Lotus corniculatus | Legumes | 7 | Jun (past peak) |
| 22 | Ghost Pipe | Monotropa uniflora | heath family | 7 | Jul (past peak) |
| 23 | Red Clover | Trifolium pratense | Legumes | 7 | Jun (past peak) |
| 24 | Bittersweet Nightshade | Solanum dulcamara | nightshade family | 7 | Jul (past peak) |
| 25 | Hedge Bindweed | Calystegia sepium | bindweed family | 7 | Aug (peak) |
| 26 | Blue Curls | Trichostema dichotomum | Mint Family | 7 | Aug (peak) |
| 27 | Partridge Pea | Chamaecrista fasciculata | Legumes | 7 | Aug (peak) |
| 28 | Scarlet Pimpernel | Lysimachia arvensis | primrose family | 7 | Jun (past peak) |
| 29 | Pickerelweed | Pontederia cordata | Pickerelweeds | 6 | Jul (past peak) |
| 30 | Asiatic dayflower | Commelina communis | Spiderworts | 6 | Sep (rising) |
| 31 | White Meadowsweet | Spiraea alba | rose family | 6 | Jul (past peak) |
| 32 | Flat-Topped Goldenrod | Euthamia graminifolia | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 6 | Sep (rising) |
| 33 | Chicory | Cichorium intybus | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 5 | Jul (past peak) |
| 34 | Indian tobacco | Lobelia inflata | bellflower family | 5 | Jul (past peak) |
| 35 | American trumpet vine | Campsis radicans | bignonia family | 5 | Jul (past peak) |
| 36 | Bull Thistle | Cirsium vulgare | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 4 | Aug (peak) |
| 37 | Manyflower Marshpennywort | Hydrocotyle umbellata | ivy family | 4 | Aug (peak) |
| 38 | Hemp Dogbane | Apocynum cannabinum | Dogbane Family | 4 | Aug (peak) |
| 39 | Common Purslane | Portulaca oleracea | purslane family | 4 | Aug (peak) |
| 40 | Broad-Leaved Sweet Pea | Lathyrus latifolius | Legumes | 4 | Jun (past peak) |
| 41 | Great Blue Lobelia | Lobelia siphilitica | bellflower family | 4 | Aug (peak) |
| 42 | Flat-Top White Aster | Doellingeria umbellata | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 4 | Sep (rising) |
| 43 | Early Goldenrod | Solidago juncea | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 4 | Aug (peak) |
| 44 | Common Milkweed | Asclepias syriaca | Dogbane Family | 3 | Jul (past peak) |
| 45 | American pokeweed | Phytolacca americana | Pokeweed Family | 3 | Jul (past peak) |
| 46 | Buttonbush | Cephalanthus occidentalis | madder family | 3 | Jul (past peak) |
| 47 | Jimsonweed | Datura stramonium | nightshade family | 3 | Aug (peak) |
| 48 | Common Soapwort | Saponaria officinalis | pink family | 3 | Jul (past peak) |
| 49 | Spotted spurge | Euphorbia maculata | Spurge Family | 3 | Aug (peak) |
| 50 | Marsh Fleabane | Pluchea odorata | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 3 | Aug (peak) |