60 wildflowers were recorded blooming in South Dakota in May in our iNaturalist sample; 31 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top wildflowers in May
Prairie Pasqueflower
American plum
Chokecherry
Bearberry
Dame's Rocket
Small White Lady's-Slipper
Common Starlily
Red Columbine
Hoary Puccoon
Canada Violet
Prairie Smoke
Dutchman's breeches
All wildflowers blooming in South Dakota in May
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prairie Pasqueflower | Pulsatilla nuttalliana | buttercup family | 50 | Apr (past peak) |
| 2 | American plum | Prunus americana | rose family | 25 | May (peak) |
| 3 | Chokecherry | Prunus virginiana | rose family | 24 | May (peak) |
| 4 | Bearberry | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | heath family | 24 | May (peak) |
| 5 | Dame's Rocket | Hesperis matronalis | mustard family | 21 | Jun (rising) |
| 6 | Small White Lady's-Slipper | Cypripedium candidum | Orchids | 16 | May (peak) |
| 7 | Common Starlily | Leucocrinum montanum | agave and allies | 15 | May (peak) |
| 8 | Red Columbine | Aquilegia canadensis | buttercup family | 15 | Jun (rising) |
| 9 | Hoary Puccoon | Lithospermum canescens | borage family | 13 | May (peak) |
| 10 | Canada Violet | Viola canadensis | Violet Family | 11 | May (peak) |
| 11 | Prairie Smoke | Geum triflorum | rose family | 9 | May (peak) |
| 12 | Dutchman's breeches | Dicentra cucullaria | Poppy Family | 8 | Apr (past peak) |
| 13 | Narrowleaf Puccoon | Lithospermum incisum | borage family | 8 | May (peak) |
| 14 | Spotted Fritillary | Fritillaria atropurpurea | lily family | 7 | May (peak) |
| 15 | Scarlet Globemallow | Sphaeralcea coccinea | Mallow and Hibiscus Family | 7 | Jun (rising) |
| 16 | Catchweed Bedstraw | Galium aparine | madder family | 6 | May (peak) |
| 17 | Star-Flowered Lily-Of-The-Valley | Maianthemum stellatum | agave and allies | 6 | May (peak) |
| 18 | Virginia strawberry | Fragaria virginiana | rose family | 6 | Jun (rising) |
| 19 | Sego Lily | Calochortus nuttallii | lily family | 6 | Jun (rising) |
| 20 | Common Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 5 | May (peak) |
| 21 | Ground-Ivy | Glechoma hederacea | Mint Family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 22 | Garlic Mustard | Alliaria petiolata | mustard family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 23 | Marsh Marigold | Caltha palustris | buttercup family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 24 | Virginia waterleaf | Hydrophyllum virginianum | borage family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 25 | Violet Woodsorrel | Oxalis violacea | Woodsorrel Family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 26 | Creeping Mahonia | Berberis repens | barberry family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 27 | Edible Valerian | Valeriana edulis | honeysuckle family | 5 | May (peak) |
| 28 | Red Osier Dogwood | Cornus sericea | Dogwood family | 4 | Jun (rising) |
| 29 | Golden Currant | Ribes aureum | Gooseberry Family | 4 | Jun (rising) |
| 30 | Bastard Toadflax | Comandra umbellata | sandalwood family | 4 | May (peak) |
| 31 | Yellow Salsify | Tragopogon dubius | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 3 | Jun (rising) |
| 32 | Field Penny-Cress | Thlaspi arvense | mustard family | 3 | May (peak) |
| 33 | Yellow Star Grass | Hypoxis hirsuta | Stargrasses and allies | 3 | Jun (rising) |
| 34 | Nodding Trillium | Trillium cernuum | Herb-Paris, False Hellebores, Trilliums and allies | 3 | May (peak) |
| 35 | European lily of the valley | Convallaria majalis | agave and allies | 2 | May (peak) |
| 36 | Yellow Lady's Slipper | Cypripedium parviflorum | Orchids | 2 | Jun (rising) |
| 37 | Bloodroot | Sanguinaria canadensis | Poppy Family | 2 | Apr (past peak) |
| 38 | Canadian lousewort | Pedicularis canadensis | broomrape family | 2 | May (peak) |
| 39 | Common Yarrow | Achillea millefolium | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies | 2 | Jul (rising) |
| 40 | Lesser Periwinkle | Vinca minor | Dogbane Family | 2 | May (peak) |
| 41 | Alfalfa | Medicago sativa | Legumes | 2 | Jul (rising) |
| 42 | golden Alexanders | Zizia aurea | carrot family | 2 | May (peak) |
| 43 | Largeflower Bellwort | Uvularia grandiflora | Bellworts and allies | 2 | May (peak) |
| 44 | Spreading Dogbane | Apocynum androsaemifolium | Dogbane Family | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 45 | Woodland Strawberry | Fragaria vesca | rose family | 1 | May (peak) |
| 46 | Common Toadflax | Linaria vulgaris | Plantain Family | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 47 | Solomon's plume | Maianthemum racemosum | agave and allies | 1 | May (peak) |
| 48 | Field Bindweed | Convolvulus arvensis | bindweed family | 1 | Jun (rising) |
| 49 | Common Cowparsnip | Heracleum maximum | carrot family | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 50 | Purple Foxglove | Digitalis purpurea | Plantain Family | 1 | May (peak) |