60 wildflowers were recorded blooming in Rhode Island in May in our iNaturalist sample; 40 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top wildflowers in May
Northern Starflower
Pink Lady's Slipper
Azure Bluet
Canada mayflower
common star-of-Bethlehem
Wood Anemone
Wild Geranium
Annual Honesty
Autumn Olive
Wild Sarsaparilla
European lily of the valley
Red Columbine
All wildflowers blooming in Rhode Island in May
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Starflower | Lysimachia borealis | primrose family | 112 | May (peak) |
| 2 | Pink Lady's Slipper | Cypripedium acaule | Orchids | 111 | May (peak) |
| 3 | Azure Bluet | Houstonia caerulea | madder family | 99 | May (peak) |
| 4 | Canada mayflower | Maianthemum canadense | agave and allies | 67 | May (peak) |
| 5 | common star-of-Bethlehem | Ornithogalum umbellatum | agave and allies | 44 | May (peak) |
| 6 | Wood Anemone | Anemonoides quinquefolia | buttercup family | 43 | May (peak) |
| 7 | Wild Geranium | Geranium maculatum | Geranium family | 33 | May (peak) |
| 8 | Annual Honesty | Lunaria annua | mustard family | 32 | May (peak) |
| 9 | Autumn Olive | Elaeagnus umbellata | oleaster family | 32 | May (peak) |
| 10 | Wild Sarsaparilla | Aralia nudicaulis | ivy family | 31 | May (peak) |
| 11 | European lily of the valley | Convallaria majalis | agave and allies | 30 | May (peak) |
| 12 | Red Columbine | Aquilegia canadensis | buttercup family | 24 | May (peak) |
| 13 | Dwarf Ginseng | Panax trifolius | ivy family | 23 | May (peak) |
| 14 | Greater celandine | Chelidonium majus | Poppy Family | 22 | May (peak) |
| 15 | Ground-Ivy | Glechoma hederacea | Mint Family | 21 | May (peak) |
| 16 | Black Cherry | Prunus serotina | rose family | 20 | May (peak) |
| 17 | Beach Plum | Prunus maritima | rose family | 18 | May (peak) |
| 18 | Moss Phlox | Phlox subulata | phlox family | 17 | May (peak) |
| 19 | Black Locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | Legumes | 16 | May (peak) |
| 20 | Sessile Bellwort | Uvularia sessilifolia | Bellworts and allies | 16 | May (peak) |
| 21 | Canada toadflax | Linaria canadensis | Plantain Family | 16 | May (peak) |
| 22 | Jack-in-the-Pulpit | Arisaema triphyllum | Arum Family | 14 | May (peak) |
| 23 | Alder Buckthorn | Frangula alnus | buckthorn family | 14 | Jun (rising) |
| 24 | Garlic Mustard | Alliaria petiolata | mustard family | 13 | May (peak) |
| 25 | Nodding Trillium | Trillium cernuum | Herb-Paris, False Hellebores, Trilliums and allies | 13 | May (peak) |
| 26 | Marsh Marigold | Caltha palustris | buttercup family | 12 | Apr (past peak) |
| 27 | Yellow Star Grass | Hypoxis hirsuta | Stargrasses and allies | 12 | Jun (rising) |
| 28 | One-Flowered Cancer-Root | Aphyllon uniflorum | broomrape family | 11 | May (peak) |
| 29 | Common Columbine | Aquilegia vulgaris | buttercup family | 8 | May (peak) |
| 30 | Red Deadnettle | Lamium purpureum | Mint Family | 8 | Apr (past peak) |
| 31 | Lowbush Blueberry | Vaccinium angustifolium | heath family | 8 | May (peak) |
| 32 | Fringed Polygala | Polygaloides paucifolia | milkworts | 8 | May (peak) |
| 33 | Canadian lousewort | Pedicularis canadensis | broomrape family | 7 | May (peak) |
| 34 | Bird's Foot Violet | Viola pedata | Violet Family | 7 | May (peak) |
| 35 | Rugosa Rose | Rosa rugosa | rose family | 7 | Jul (rising) |
| 36 | Common Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 6 | Jun (rising) |
| 37 | Flowering Dogwood | Cornus florida | Dogwood family | 6 | May (peak) |
| 38 | Carpet Bugle | Ajuga reptans | Mint Family | 6 | May (peak) |
| 39 | Solomon's plume | Maianthemum racemosum | agave and allies | 5 | May (peak) |
| 40 | Catchweed Bedstraw | Galium aparine | madder family | 5 | Jun (rising) |
| 41 | Norway maple | Acer platanoides | soapberry family | 5 | Apr (past peak) |
| 42 | Robin's-Plantain | Erigeron pulchellus | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 5 | May (peak) |
| 43 | Winged Euonymus | Euonymus alatus | staff-vine family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 44 | Yellow Iris | Iris pseudacorus | iris family | 4 | Jun (rising) |
| 45 | Mayapple | Podophyllum peltatum | barberry family | 4 | May (peak) |
| 46 | Painted Trillium | Trillium undulatum | Herb-Paris, False Hellebores, Trilliums and allies | 4 | May (peak) |
| 47 | Red Clover | Trifolium pratense | Legumes | 4 | Jun (rising) |
| 48 | American tuliptree | Liriodendron tulipifera | magnolia family | 4 | May (peak) |
| 49 | Cucumber Root | Medeola virginiana | lily family | 4 | May (peak) |
| 50 | Large White Trillium | Trillium grandiflorum | Herb-Paris, False Hellebores, Trilliums and allies | 4 | May (peak) |