Blue Curls (Trichostema dichotomum) is in the Mint Family family (Lamiaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,771 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in September.
Nationally it blooms mainly from August to October, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Blue Curls: observations by month (U.S.)
About Blue Curls
Trichostema dichotomum, with the common name forked bluecurls, is a plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae), that is native to eastern North America....From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Blue Curls by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 203 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Florida | 196 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Texas | 182 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 155 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 100 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Georgia | 99 | September | Sep–Oct |
| New York | 80 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Alabama | 77 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Virginia | 76 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Mississippi | 71 | September | Sep–Oct |
| South Carolina | 71 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Maryland | 67 | September | Aug–Sep |
| New Jersey | 64 | September | Aug–Sep |
| New Hampshire | 56 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Maine | 53 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Arkansas | 39 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Connecticut | 38 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Tennessee | 28 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Louisiana | 23 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Vermont | 19 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Missouri | 15 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Ohio | 15 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Kentucky | 12 | August | Aug–Oct |
| Rhode Island | 10 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Delaware | 6 | September | Sep–Sep |
| West Virginia | 6 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Michigan | 5 | August | Aug–Aug |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Mint Family)
Red Deadnettle
Common Selfheal
Ground-Ivy
Henbit Deadnettle
Wild Bergamot
Lyreleaf Sage
Chia
American germander
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Blue Curls?
Nationally, September has the most observations, with the main season from August to October.
Where is Blue Curls most often seen?
The most observations come from North Carolina, Florida, Texas.