Wildflowers of the United States

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Reference List for All States Wildflower Identification

Site Description
Alabama Wildflower Society
"Alabama's Native Plant Society" 		We need to be aware of the importance of native plants in the environment. This "top spot" in the reference list will be a native plant organization in each state.
Alaska Native Plant SocietyWe need to be aware of the importance of native plants in the environment. This "top spot" in the reference list will be a native plant organization in each state.
Arizona Native Plant SocietyThe Arizona Native Plant Society is a statewide nonprofit organization devoted to Arizona's native plants. Its mission is to promote knowledge, appreciation, conservation, and restoration of Arizona native plants and their habitats. They conduct field trips, publish a newsletter, participate in conservation activities, and conduct workshops hosted by their five regional chapters.

They also provide an online version of Arizona Rare Plant Field Guide, a book published by the Arizona Rare Plant Committee, which included participation from the AZNPS. This field guide covers 125 species which are rare in Arizona, with descriptions, drawings, and color photos.
Arkansas Native Plant SocietyWe need to be aware of the importance of native plants in the environment. This "top spot" in the reference list will be a native plant organization in each state.
California Native Plant Society We need to be aware of the importance of native plants in the environment. This "top spot" in the reference list will be a native plant organization in each state.
Colorado Native Plant SocietyThe purpose of the Colorado native Plant Society is to encourage the appreciation and conservation of Colorado native plants and their habitats. CONPS has 7 regional chapters. They conduct field trips and conservation activites.

The CONPS site hosts several plant keys and lists for Colorado wildflowers, which can be very useful in identification.
Connecticut Botanical SocietyThe Connecticut Botanical Society is the native plant organization for Connecticut, and is an excellent source of information on plants of all kinds in Connecticut, and to connect with others sharing that interest.

Their Gallery of Connecticut Wildflowers has a large listing of Connecticut Wildflowers with accompanying photographs and worthwhile information, helpful for plant identification. I reference this site frequently. You can browse by common name, scientific name, or flower color. The "by color" lists include thumbnails, and are therefore especially useful for identification.
Delaware Native Plant SocietyThe Delaware Native Plant Society is a volunteer-based, publicly supported, non-profit organization dedicated to the use, propagation, promotion, and conservation of native plants and their natural habitats through education, science, advocacy, and land stewardship, and conduct field trips, workshop, and seminars, and have a nursery used to rescue native plants from sites slated for development.

The DNPS has several articles describing families and species of native plants of Delaware which can be useful in wildflower identification.
Florida Native Plant SocietyWhile not a "wildflower-identification site" per se, the FNPS site contains a lot of information about plants native to Florida - including wildflowers.
Georgia Native Plant SocietyWe need to be aware of the importance of native plants in the environment. This "top spot" in the reference list will be a native plant organization in each state.

The GNPS site contains a lot of information about plants native to Georgia, and of particular interest for wildflower identification are their "Plant Charts" identifying the bloom period of a number of native species, adn their "Native Plant Gallery." These links are located in the "Native Plants" part of their menu under "Learn More" and "Plant Charts."
Idaho Native Plant Society The Idaho Native Plant Society (INPS) is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to promoting interest in native plants and plant communities, and collecting and sharing information on all phases of the botany of native plants in Idaho.

Illinois Native Plant Society"...dedicated to the preservation, conservation and study of the native plants and vegetation of Illinois."

The INPS is has six local chapters. The INPS website does not provide a lot of current information about the INPS activities, but there are email addresses for both the state and local organizations that might be fruitful.
Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower SocietyOur mission is to promote the appreciation, preservation, conservation, utilization and scientific study of the flora native to Indiana and to educate the public about the values, beauty, diversity and environmental importance of indigenous vegetation.

INPAWS has spring plant sales, performs plant rescues, organizes field rips and hikes, publishes a quarterly journal, and has an annual fall conference. They can also make speakers available to make presentations on Indiana Native Plants.

The INPAWS website also has photos and species information on over 100 species native to Indiana. This information is good for wildflower identification.
Iowa Native Plant SocietyThe Iowa Native Plant Society is a forum for plant enthusiasts, gardeners, and professional botanists to exchange ideas and information, and to work together to:
  • encourage conservation and ethical use of Iowa's plants
  • promote education about Iowa's plants, their habitats and cultural habits, and the preservation of these plants and their environment
  • appreciate and enjoy Iowa's native flora
Kansas Native Plant Society The Kansas Native Plant Society (KNPS) educates the public about the indigenous plants of Kansas - wildflowers, grasses, trees and others - found in our prairies, woodlands, wetlands, and gardens.

KNPS appears to be a VERY active organization with a newsletter and many field trips and preservation projects. In addition they have a wildflower gallery with photos, scientific names, and common names for 72 native Kansas plants.
Kentucky Native Plant Society The Kentucky Native Plant Society is a leader in promoting education about, appreciation for, and conservation of our native flora.

The KNPS organizes field trips and service projects. The website has many resources to help in identification of Kentucky native wildflowers.
Louisiana Native Plant Society The Louisiana Native Plant Society was founded in 1983 as a state-wide, non-profit organization. Its purposes are:
  • To preserve and study native plants and their habitats.
  • To educate people on the value of native plants and the need to preserve and protect rare and endangered species.
  • To promote the propagation and use of native plants in the landscape. To educate people on the relationship between our native flora and wildlife.
The LNPS organizes field trips and service projects, and publishes a quarterly newsletter for members.
Maryland Native Plant Society"The Maryland Native Plant Society's mission is to promote awareness, appreciation, and conservation of Maryland's native plants and their habitats. We pursue our mission through education, research, advocacy, and service activities." The Maryland Native Plant Society appears to be a quite active organization, with 9 chapters in the state.
Michigan Botanical ClubThe Michican Botanical Club is the native plant society for the state of Michigan. They have 5 chapters, each of which holds monthly meetings and conducts field trips. They publish a quarterly scientific journal, The Michigan Botanist, and a quarterly newsletter, Arisaema.
Minnesota Native Plant Society"A non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and appreciation of Minnesota's native plants and plant communities through education and public awareness"
Mississippi Native Plant Society"The Mississippi Native Plant Society provides a forum for learning about our state's ecosystems and the plants that exist within them. We meet to share a love of the wonders of the natural flora of our state."
Missouri Native Plant Society"The purpose of the Missouri Native Plant Society is to promote the enjoyment, preservation, conservation, restoration, and study of the flora native to Missouri; to educate the public about the values of the beauty, diversity, and environmental importance of indigenous vegetation; and to publish related information."
Montana Native Plant SocietyTHE GOALS of the Montana Native Plant Society are to preserve, conserve, and study the native plants and plant communities of Montana, and to educate the public about the values of our native flora.
Native Hawaiian Plant SocietyThe Native Hawaiian Plant Society (NHPS) is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization whose mission it is to preserve and restore Hawaiian native plants in their native ecosystems. Public education and cooperation with like-minded entities are recognized to be major components of preservation.
Native Plant Society of New JersyThe stated purpose of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey is "To promote the appreciation, protection and study of New Jersey's Native Flora."
Native Plant Society of New Mexico"The Native Plant Society of New Mexico (NPSNM) is a non-profit organization that strives to educate the public about native plants by promoting knowledge of plant identification, ecology, and uses; fostering preservation of natural habitats; supporting botanical research; and encouraging the appropriate use of native plants to conserve water, land, and wildlife. We have approximately 800 members in 8 chapters located throughout New Mexico and including El Paso, Texas and southwestern Colorado."
Native Plant Society of Texas"The Native Plant Society of Texas wants to preserve our state's rich heritage for future generations. NPSOT is a non-profit organization run by volunteers who work to promote native plant appreciation, research, and conservation through 33 chapters located around the state."
Nebraska Native Plant Society"The mission of the Nebraska Native Plant Society is to promote the appreciation and conservation of Nebraska's native flora and to foster education and research on Nebraska's native plants."

It's good to know there is a Nebraska Native Plant Society, but it's difficult to tell how active it is from the website.
Nevada Native Plant SocietyFrom their website:
"The Nevada Native Plant Society (NNPS) is a non-profit corporation organized solely for educational, scientific and charitable purposes for the stimulation of interest in and the developing of an appreciation for native Nevada plants and their preservation" (from the Society's Articles of Incorporation). The Society is supported entirely by membership dues, gifts, and various fundraising activities. All interested in learning more about, conserving, growing, or just seeing and appreciating the 2800+ wild plant species of Nevada and the adjacent Great Basin, Mojave Desert, and eastern Sierra Nevada regions are encouraged to join and participate.
New England Wild Flower SocietyThe New England Wild Flower Society's mission is to promote the conservation of temperate North American flora through education, research, horticulture, habitat preservation, and advocacy.

"Founded in 1900, the Society is the nation's oldest plant conservation organization and a recognized leader in native plant conservation, horticulture, and education."

This seems to be a very active and vibrant native plant society, representing the six New England states - Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Their relatively new "Go Botany" site is a truly excellent tool to help you identify wildflowers found in this region. Try it!!
North Carolina Native Plants Society Native Plants GalleryGallery of North Carolina plants, thumbnail photos organized alphabetically by scientific name. List of plants can be searched by common or scientific name. Very nice collection of native NC orchid photographs.
Pennsylvania Native Plant Society"The Pennsylvania Native Plant Society is a 501c.3 non-profit educational organization with headquarters in State College, PA. In addition to this website, PNPS conducts educational field trips, publishes a quarterly newsletter, and hosts a native plant sale each May. Our annual meeting is held in the last quarter of the year, featuring speakers on various topics as well as our elections. We welcome your participation and appreciate your membership"
South Carolina Native Plant SocietyThe South Carolina Native Plant Society is a non-profit organization committed to the preservation and protection of native plant communities in South Carolina. We work to make this happen by providing programs and activities designed to:
  • educate and inform members and the general public about the importance of native plants
  • support efforts by government agencies to protect habitats and endangered species
  • encourage the use of native plant materials in public and private landscaping
  • promote the commercial availability of native plant materials
Tennessee Native Plant SocietyExcerpt from their website: "The Tennessee Native Plant Society was founded in the spring of 1978 as a botanical organization for persons interested in the native flora of Tennessee. Members include wildflower enthusiasts from all over the state who share common interests in the areas of plant identification and folklore, growing native plants from seeds and cuttings for use in naturalized landscapes, and preserving natural areas to protect plants... Our members meet frequently at various locations all over the state for field trips..."
The Botanical Club of Wisconsin"The Botanical Club of Wisconsin, the state's only organization dedicated to the study of our native flora, was founded in 1968 by John Thomson as an affiliate of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. The BCW serves the interests of amateur and professional botanists toward the common goal of learning more about our state's plant biodiversity."
The Great Plains Native Plant SocietyMission
  • To engage in scientific research regarding plants of the Great Plains of North America;
  • To carry on the scientific work begun by Claude Barr of Prairie Gem Ranch, Smithwick, South Dakota, which is to pursue greater knowledge, appreciation and understanding of the Great Plains of North America;
  • To disseminate this knowledge through the creation of one or more educational botanic gardens of plants of the Great Plains, featuring but not limited to Barr's discoveries;
  • To engage in any educational activities which may further public familiarity with plants of the Great Plains, their uses and enjoyment.
    The Native Plant Society of Northeastern OhioFrom their website: Our mission is to promote the study, appreciation, and conservation of native plants and plant communities of Ohio.

    The NPS of NE Ohio is one of several chapters of the Ohio Native Plant Society. I was unable to find a website for the central organization, so I chose to use this one as representative.
    The Native Plant Society of OregonThe NPSO local chapters "hold meetings, field trips, and plant shows and sales for members and non-members alike, making available the knowledge and wonder of our native plants to everyone."
    Utah Native Plant Society "The Utah Native Plant Society is dedicated to the appreciation, preservation, conservation and responsible use of the native plant and plant communities found in the state of Utah and the Intermountain West."
    Virginia Native Plant SocietyFounded in 1981 as The Virginia Wildflower Preservation Society, the VNPS' purpose is to further appreciation and conservation of Virginia's native plants and habitats. It has over 2,000 members, publishes a newsletter, conducts field trips, and engages in habitat preservation activities.
    West Virginia Native Plant Society"Dedicated to the conservation and appreciation of West Virginia's native plants and habitats."
    WNPS - Washington Native Plant SocietyThe Washington Native Plant Society is a forum for individuals who share a common interest in Washington's unique and diverse plant life. For more than 30 years WNPS has been a great source for native plant information and action.
    Wyoming Native Plant SocietyWe need to be aware of the importance of native plants in the environment. This "top spot" in the reference list will be a native plant organization in each state. "Wyoming Native Plant Society (WNPS) goals are to encourage the appreciation and conservation of the native flora and plant communities of Wyoming through education, research, and communication."
    Alaskan Wildflowers Photographs of Alaskan Wildflowers by Mary Hopson, grouped by blossom color for easier identification. My favorite Alaskan wildflower site that I've found so far.
    Field Guide to Selected Rare Plants of WashingtonThis site from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources contains PDF files with excellent descriptive information, photographs, and illustrations of 370 rare vascular plants of Washington. This is an excellent source for confirmation of the identification of a species once you think you have the species name.
    Georgia Botanical Society The Georgia Botanical Society is a group of folks who get together to:
    • Undertake or support the setting apart of appropriate areas in Georgia for the preservation of native and cultivated flora for the enjoyment of the public.
    • Encourage the protection of rare and endangered plant species and significant botanical habitats.
    • Promote the conservation of botanical resources and encourage the practice of a conservation ethic.
    Illinois WildflowersDr. John Hilty's website with "descriptions, photographs, and range maps of many wildflowers in Illinois." This is one of my favorite sites for wildflower identification.
    Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses"This site contains information and more than 4256 identification photos for some 700 species of forbs, grasses, sedges, rushes, and woody plants that are found growing in Kansas."

    This site is a wealth of information about Kansas wildflowers, indexed by color, time of blooming, common name, and scientific name. Professor Mike Haddock, formerly the Agriculture Librarian and Chair of the Sciences Department at Kansas State University Libraries and now the Kansas State Libraries Assistant Dean for Research, Education, and Engagement, is to be commended for this excellent site.
    Kentucky WildflowersThe combination of bicyclist, photographer, and wildflower enthusiast has resulted this website with hundreds of excellent wildflower photographs from Kentucky and southern Indiana. Thumbnails organized by blooming season or by color, you can also search the descriptive text to find the detail pages for each species. Scientific and common names are included.
    Minnesota WildflowersMinnesota Wildflowers has grown from Katy Chayka's original nice little site with 'information about wildflowers that grow in Minnesota, mostly those found in and around the Twin Cities area.' Katy incorporated the site as a non-profit and joined forces with others, allowing them to receive large, multi-year grants from the State of Minnesota as well as public donations. This enabled them to work full-time photographing wildflowers and building the site, going from 15 species in 2007 to over 1,400 ten years later. Minnesota Wildflowers has become a premier resource for wildflower information of the region.
    Missouri flora web page"Photographs and descriptions of the flowering and non-flowering plants of Missouri, USA." Organized by flower color and leaf structure (opposite/alternate.) Excellent plant detail pages. Published by Dan Tenaglia, who is now deceased, this is a great site for wildflower identification.

    Update 03/27/2013: I'm happy to report that Missouriplants.com is back online.
    Update 05/01/2016:It appears that Missouriplants.com is back offline.
    New Hampshire WildflowersJohn D. Cameron's New Hampshire Wildflower site presents over 350 species of New Hampshire wildflowers with excellent photographs, all of which were taken in New Hampshire, according to Mr. Cameron. Indexed by scientific and common names, Mr. Cameron provides dimensions, blooming period, habitat, and descriptive information on each species. Thumbnail photos are available by color for an easier identification process.
    North Carolina WildflowersNC State University Horticultural Sciences Department Large number of nice wildflower photographs with additional descriptive information about each plant. View thumbnails by color, or get a list by common name or scientific name.
    NYFA - New York Flora Association"The New York Flora Association was founded in 1990 with the goal of promoting field botany and a greater understanding of the plants that grow wild in New York State."

    The NYFA is a non-profit group administered by the New York State Museum Institute, funded primarily by member dues. They conduct field trips and workshops. The website has a cool feature - clicking on the "Plant Lists" menu item to the left will take you to a page with a Google Map of New York with marked sites including a link to a list of plants that can be found there.
    Oklahoma Native Plant Society"In 1987, individuals from throughout the state founded the Oklahoma Native Plant Society to encourage the study, protection, propagation, appreciation, and use of the state's native plants. The society's varied activities (field trips, lectures, workshops, displays, inventories, and roadside plantings) promote an awareness and understanding of some of the state's most valued treasures."
    Southwest Colorado WildflowersA very well-done site with excellent information on wildflowers and other plants, with photographs of over 700 plants from the Southwest Colorado area. Browse by flower color, or search by scientific or common name. Published by Al Schneider, since Feb 2001.
    Alaska Wildflowers.usPhotos of approximately 300 species taken within 40 miles of the town of Central, Alaska. Front page has a thumbnail photo of the flower (wait patiently for that page with 250 thumbnails to load.) Click on the thumbnail to get a page with several photos of the plant. In addition the front page, there are indexes by scientific classification.
    Delaware WildflowersDavid G. Smith has put together a site that includes around 1/3 of the nearly 1500 species of wildflowers found in Delaware. Indexed by color, common name, scientific name, family, and photo month.
    Iowa Plants - The Iowa Living Roadway Trust FundFrom the site: "This plant database is designed to help you identify what plant species are native to Iowa... The database also serves as a learning tool by providing descriptive information about individual plants."

    This is an excellent site from the Iowa DOT with a database of several hundred flowering plants native to Iowa. There are a number of search criteria, including name, bloom color, bloom month, and more.
    Missouri Wildflower Guide by Marilyn Gerrard-Hartman A really excellent site with thumbnails, photos, and descriptions for nearly 125 species of wildflowers found in Missouri. Well-organized, you can list thumbnails by blossom color, or can get the entire list ordered by common name.
    The Wonderful World of Oklahoma Wildflowers by L. George Zabawa Really nice photos and good information about over 100 Oklahoma wildflowers. Species list, also organized to browse by family and by color. Much more granular color selection than available on most sites (including USWildflowers.com.)
    WTU Image Collection: Plants of Washington"The WTU Image Collection contains the most comprehensive online collection of photographs and information for the plants and lichens of Washington. Developed and maintained by the University of Washington Herbarium (WTU), this site brings together the photographs from numerous photographers and botanists from around the state. Photographs are accompanied by distribution maps, descriptions, synonymy, and additional resources.

    Use this site to learn about the plants and lichens found across Washington State's diverse array of landscapes including lush coastal rainforests, dry sagebrush plains, high alpine meadows and much more in between. By our estimate, Washington contains nearly 3,200 species of vascular plants and over 900 species of lichens."

    According to a representative of the University of Washington Herbarium, this is the most visited online resource for Washington Wildflowers.
    Alabama Plant Atlas"The Alabama Plant Atlas is a joint effort by the Alabama Herbarium Consortium (AHC) and The University of West Alabama to provide users with a comprehensive searchable database of plants that occur in the state of Alabama. Alabama, with nearly 4,000 species of native or naturalized pteridophytes and seed plants, is the fifth most floristically diverse state in the United States. The Alabama Plant Atlas provides a source of information for each species including the distribution within the state using historical and recent data."
    Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants"The Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants is a joint effort by the Institute for Systematic Botany, the University of South Florida and the Florida Center for Community Design + Research to provide users with a comprehensive searchable database of vascular plants in the State of Florida. Florida, with over 4,200 species of native or naturalized ferns and seed plants, is the third most floristically diverse state in the United States. The Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants provides a source of information for the distribution of plants within the state."
    CalfloraFrom the website: Calflora is 1. a website you can use to learn about plants that grow wild in California (both native plants and weeds); and 2. a nonprofit organization responsible for the website. Calflora is run by a few volunteers and one part-time paid engineer. Information in Calflora comes from many sources: public agencies, non-profits, scientists, private donors, and you!

    Calflora provides a searchable database of California plants. Excellent resource, and for most species they also provide a link to the Jepsen Manual description.
    Hawaiian Plants and Tropical FlowersHawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers features photographs and descriptions of 154 different Hawaiian flower and plant species organized by flower color and other plant characteristics. (As of 02/03/2012.)

    This site by T. Beth Kinsey features beautiful photographs and excellent information about many of the plants found in Hawaii.
    New York Flora Atlas"The New York Flora Atlas is a source of information for the distribution of plants within the state, as well as information on plant habitats, associated ecological communities, and taxonomy. In addition, users can learn about the location of vouchered specimens and see images to get a better visual for each plant."

    This is part of a joint venture initiated by the University of South Florida. The supporting organization in New York is the New York Flora Association. Among other features you can find a list of species that can be found in each county in New York.
    The Noble Foundation Plant Image GalleryThe Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation's plant photographs of a large number of Oklahoma plants. Divided into three sections, the "grasses" and "trees/shrubs" group have the best search capabilities, with the forbs (herbaceous flowering plants) group having the weakest search engine, but they promise that to be improved.
    Alabama Plants"Photographs and information for the plants of Alabama..." This is another site by Dan Tenaglia, the now-deceased creator of the excellent and widely-used MissouriPlants.com website. It has over 300 wildflowers included in the approximately 350 plants presented on the site. The excellent thumbnail photos of the flowers are presented by color/leaf arrangement for easier identification. If you've used Missouri Plants, you know the excellent identification information Dan included for each species.
    Flora of North Dakota: ChecklistThis appears to be a true flora - all the plants of a region, although with under 2,000 species, I may be incorrect in that assumption. This is not designed as an easy identification guide, although there are photographs associated with many species. However, the location information (county list) and the ability to sort the list in different orders, and especially the exhaustive nature of the data will make this an extremely valuable asset in identifying wildflowers of North Dakota. Additionally, there is a PDF version available for download (LARGE), which makes scanning through the photos much easier. Alexey B. Shipunov is to be commended for this significant work, although he attributes the checklist as a collaborative effort of many people.
    Florida's Native Wildflowers - The Florida Wildflower Foundation"The Florida Wildflower Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to enrich lives with Florida's native wildflowers... the Foundation funds research, education and planting projects statewide."

    "What you can do on our site:
    Find the seeds you need to grow wildflowers that will thrive in your conditions. Seeds produced in Florida for Florida's landscapes will ensure the best results.

    Read tips on planting for success.

    Once you've got them started, maintaining your wildflowers is simple once you have a plan. We have resources to help you.

    Whether you're a home gardener, a landscape architect, a city planner or a land manager, we have information to add a sense of place to your designs.
    MyWildflowers.comSearchable database of flowers from western Pennsylvania by "Deb."
    Oregon Flora Image Project Excellent identification photographs of the flora of Oregon, by Dr. Gerald (Gerry) Carr, who is associated with the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University. You'll need to know the scientific name of the plant you seek.
    Oregon Flora ProjectFrom the website: "The mission of the Oregon Flora Project is to serve as a comprehensive resource for the vascular plants of Oregon that grow without cultivation, and to foster effective use of this knowledge by all citizens."

    Flora of Oregon is a project of Oregon State University. The entire Flora of Oregon is scheduled for publication in 2015. When completed the website will contains information on all of Oregon's 4,560 vascular plants, as of May, 2014, 21 plant families have been published. The website also includes a plant atlas, photo gallery for identification, a rare plant guide with searchable database, a vascular plant checklist, and the semiannual Oregon Flora Newsletter. They also have a mobile app available for purchase from a link on their website, or from Amazon.com - linked below.

    Overall this is an EXCELLENT resource for wildflower and other plant enthusiasts of Oregon.
    Smoky Mountains Wildflowers Facebook GroupIf you're on Facebook (who isn't?) and are interested in wildflowers found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, then you need to like this page. Be part of the community.
    The Natural Treasures of OhioThis site is subtitled "A.L. Gibson Nature Photography Website", and is a blog, but Mr. Gibson has categories which make finding an article referencing a particular plant relatively easy if you know the scientific or common name. And when you get there, you get much more than his excellent photos. Definitely a site to visit regularly!
    Birdmom's Wildflower IndexOver 300 species with Common Name, Scientific Name, and Family name. Thumbnails indexed by blossom color. From the site: "Almost all of the approximately 320 species on these pages were photographed in Park Sierra's 120 acres in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Coarsegold, California. A few were taken in Oak Creek, situated in the town of Coarsegold, about 400-600' higher in elevation. "
    Flora of Virginia App by High Country AppsThis is a must-have if you are serious about Virginia wildflower identification - or any other plant in the state. It was built as a partnership with the Flora of Virginia project, a massive flora of over 3,100 Virginia species (see link to the book on this page), authored by Ludwig, Weakley, and Townsend - about as authoritative as you can get.

    An extract from High Country's description: "The FLORA OF VIRGINIA app is a complete guide for learning about the plants of Virginia, whether a wildflower from a weedy roadside, a shrub from a coastal dune, or a tree from a deep Appalachian hollow. The app does not need an Internet connection to run, so you can use it no matter how remote your wanderings take you."

    It even contains the dichotomous keys from the book - but of course there are shortcoming to trying to use those. However, it also contains a "Graphic Key" which allows you to include color of the flower to help identify it.

    You can get the book for around $100, or the app for $19.99. I was given a copy of the app for review, but receive no other compensation; I just like this app!
    Montana Plant Life"This web site presents a wide variety of Montana wildflowers and other plants growing in the wilds of Montana. The flora of Montana is very varied and contains many species which range extends from the Pacific Northwest region as well as from the Great Plains. The site includes edible plants, medicinal plants as well as poisonous plants with sub-categories for edible roots, poisonous berries etc. Choices can also be made for displaying introduced vs. native plants and weeds."

    "Each presented species has its own page with pictures, a full description and, if applicable, information about edibility, medicinal and poisonous properties. The plant search engine from the title bar above can be used to search the entire plant identification database for any words or phrases, for example 'lily', 'arthritis', 'Lewisia', 'cancer' etc." Excellent information on the many species represented - gcw
    Native Plant Society of New Jersey Photo GalleryPhoto Galleries of Native Plants currently grouped by early spring, mid spring, summer, fall colors, winters scenes, and plants of the pine barrens. Within those galleries there are thumbnails of each plant.
    Oklahoma Wildflowers Photo Gallery by Richard AllenAround 150 Oklahoma wildflowers with nice photographs. All listed on a single thumbnail page with multiple images for some flowers. Larger image page with some additional interesting information available. Alphabetical by common name.
    Online Virtual Flora of WisconsinThe Online Virtual Flora of Wisconsin, in its own words, is "a collaborative effort between the herbaria of the UW-Madison (WIS) and the UW-Steven's Point (UWSP), along with most of the other herbaria located in the state of Wisconsin. It contains information on each of the more than 2600 vascular plant species that occurs in Wisconsin, including photos, distribution maps, specimen records, and more." You can search by common or scientific name (at least full genus, or even full family.) If you select "checklists" from the top menu, you can get lists with thumbnails that can be used to scan for a match. An excellent resource recommended by Twila Logan.
    Oswego State University of New York (SUNY) Rice Creek Field Station Digital Illustrated Flora"This guide is designed to provide a pictoral reference to the plants of Rice Creek Field Station, a unit of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the State University of New York College at Oswego."

    Professor Andrew P. Nelson of Oswego State University of New York has prepared an excellent website presenting 725 plant species which have been identified the the Rice Creek Field Station, over 600 of which grow wild in New York. There are over 3,000 photographs illustrating those plants.

    Nelson, now Professor Emeritus at Oswego SUNY, includes links to the New York Flora Atlas for each of the wild-growing plants so you can determine in which New York counties the plant may be found.
    Range Plants of Utah at Utah State University Cooperative ExtensionExcellent information both helpful in identification as well as general knowledge about Utah plants. Organization of plant records is not conducive to ID by color or other attribute, since they are indexed by scientific and common names, but if you have an idea what the plant is, this is an excellent resource to help in confirmation, or just to learn more about a plant. The plant listings are subdivided by 'Forbs/Herbaceous' and 'Shrubs and Trees.'
    Washington Rare Plant Care and Conservation Program - University of Washington Botanic Gardens"The Washington Rare Plant Care and Conservation Program is dedicated to conserving Washington's native rare plants through methods including ex situ conservation, rare plant monitoring, research, reintroduction, and education."

    This website outlines their admirable program which is focused solely on the conservation of rare and endangered plants of Washington state, but it also includes a listing and photographs of some of the 320 plants included in the scope of their program.

    According to Steve Baldwin of Spokane, Washington, the most endangered native wildflower of WA State is Castilleja levisecta - Golden Paintbrush, which is one of the plants that is under the watchcare of Washington Rare Plant Care.
    Wildflowers of ColoradoColorado wildflower photography by Dr. Mary L. Dubler, DVM, Fort Collins, Colorado. Beautiful photographs of around 600 wildflowers of Colorado, arranged by color.
    Carolina NatureCarolina Nature is the personal website of Will Cook, a researcher in plant ecology at Duke University. While the website has other things besides wildflowers, the link here will take you to the North Carolina Plant Photos page. There Mr. Cook lists over 160 species of wildlowers with links to his pages with description and photographs.
    Caroline Dean Wildflower Collection: Wildflowers of Alabama"Caroline Dean Wildflower Collection: The Caroline Dean Wildflower Collection features images of wildflowers native to the Southeastern United States that are identified by both common and scientific names and are accompanied by a description. The majority of the images in this collection were photographed in the wild lands and along roadsides throughout Alabama." Hosted at Auburn University, this site has a powerful text search engine, or you browse 432 thumbnails in alphabetical common or scientific name order. Some good descriptive information is included.
    Common Plants of the Upper Klamath Basin This is a large PDF file of a 272 page book put together apparently by Rabe Consulting and the Klamath Basin Chapter of the Oregon Native Plant Society. It provides excellent of Ferns and Horsetails; Conifers; Flowers; Hardwood Trees and Shrubs; Grasses and Grass-like Plants; and Lichens, Bryophytes, and Blue-green Algae of the 7,230 square mile Upper Klamath Basin in southern Oregon and northern California. This includes the famous Crater Lake National Park.

    The book includes a photograph and description of by my estimate nearly 500 plant species.
    Flowers of RainierAmateur photographer and hiker Donovan Tracy has created a wonderful website describing and showing with beautiful photographs many of the wildflowers that can be found on Mt. Rainier in Washington State. This is a must-see site for those that want to identify wildflowers they may see while hiking on this mountain in the Pacific Northwest. The site has been updated from the 2011 season with additional species, bring the total to 230 as of April, 2012.
    Mountain Plants of the Western CascadesTanya Harvey is a self-proclaimed amateur botanist and gardener who is also an artist. She has combined those skills well in this website, which she is using as a repository and expository of the work she has done botanizing in the Western Cascades of Oregon while she prepares a book on the same for publication.

    There are plant lists for various locations in the Western Cascades. These can be helpful in identification by knowing what plants can be found at these spots. The "Plants and Places" blog also provides excellent information and photos on the plants of the Western Cascades.
    Southwest Desert FloraGene Sturla, a retired Arizona Game and Fish Department Wildlife Biologist, has spent about 5 years developing this beautiful and informative site which features about 700 species of plants found in the desert areas of Arizona and, naturally, nearby states as well. If you are attempting to identify wildflowers found in the Sonoran, Chihuahuan, Mojave and Great Basin deserts, don't miss this site.
    Wildflowers and Grasses of South Dakota - a set on Flickr A set of 76 South Dakota and Wyoming wildflowers on Flickr, taken by soniawc. Thumbnails are ordered by the date the photo was taken. Many of the species are identified, but some are not.
    Wildflowers of the EscambiaPhotographs and varying amounts of information about wildflowers blooming in the Escambia River basin in Alabama and Florida. Thumbnails organized by spring/summer/fall and by color. Published by Darryl Searcy.
    Eastern Colorado WildflowersFrom the website: 'Eastern Colorado Wildflowers contains photographs and information for over 525 plant species growing east of the Continental Divide in Colorado. Species listed in Weber and Wittmann's Colorado Flora: Eastern Slope, 3rd Edition are included.'

    This site has excellent photographs and information on when and generally where you might find the plant in bloom. Species coverage is excellent, with over 525 species included as of June, 2010. The plants are organized by family, scientific name, and common name.
    Idaho Mountain Wildflowers528 species of wildflowers found in the mountains of Idaho, with many also found in surrounding states. They are listed by common name, scientific name, and by family. I'm not sure all of the reclassification which has been used by the authors has been widely accepted, but the information and photographs are excellent. This site is based on the book by the same name, which you can purchase from Amazon at the link below.
    Wild About Texas WildflowersAccording to the website, Lone Star Internet, Inc. developed the Wild About Texas Wildflowers site out of a love for the Texas outdoors, the responsibility of capable internet design firms to aid in providing content to the online community.

    They currently have over 120 wildflowers categorized by color and listed by common name.

    Site recommended by Divamover.
    Wild Florida Photo Florida Plant ListNature Photographer Paul Rebmann has photos and information about many of Florida's wild plants, most with several excellent photographs and additional information about the plant.
    Wildflowers Native to Maryland at Wildflower FarmWildflower Farm is a commercial wildflower seed company that seems pretty eco-friendly. This is a listing of the indigenous Maryland species (53 at this writing) for which they have seeds. They are ordered alphabetically by scientific name.
    William Britten Photography: Smoky Mountain WildflowersThis website of William Britten, a professional photographer based in Gatlinburg, TN, right on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has beautiful photos, descriptive information, and suggested locations for around 100 species of wildflowers found in the Smokies. William is also associated with the Facebook page mentioned above.
    Charles and Diane Peirce's Michigan Wildflowers*Very* nice photographs of 543 species (as of January 2015) of Michigan wildflowers sorted by common name and by scientific name. You must select a plant name to see the photos of that plant, so it is somewhat difficult to browse through the site to identify a plant unless you already have an idea of what it may be, but the photos are excellent - both beautiful and useful in finding identifying characteristics. The Peirce's report that after 16 years of effort, they have photographed all of Michigan's native orchids.
    Northwest Ohio Wildflowers at Ohio-Nature.comJon Cross has organized the galleries of his large collection of wildflower thumbnail photos by color for easier identification. These are further separated by native / non-native status. He also identifies rare and endangered species found in NW Ohio. In some cases Jon provides additional information about a flower, but in most cases you can get only a larger version of the image, and the common name of the plant.
    San Diego County Wildflowers - Identifying Them From the site, by Ken Bowles:

    "This guide is for people who
    1. Want to identify the many interesting wildflowers they see growing in wild places in San Diego County, and
    2. Lack formal botany education, and/or the needed experience, to rely on formal botanist publications, and
    3. Want to do as well as possible at identifying the Family, Genus, and Species using only visual information."
    Southeastern Arizona Wildflowers and Plants"Southeastern Arizona Wildflowers and Plants features photographs and descriptions of 449 different wildflower and plant species found here in the southeastern part of Arizona, USA. Featured are Sonoran Desert wildflowers and the plant species found in the areas surrounding the city of Tucson, Arizona in Pima County."
    The University of Tennessee Vascular Plant Herbarium Hosts nearly 7000 photos and distribution maps of Tennessee plants. You need to have a common or scientific name - at least to the genus - to effectively use the database. The photos by genus, as well as the county distribution maps are particularly useful.
    Wildflowers of the Southern Rocky MountainsThis website provides beautiful photographs of over 1,000 species of plants (including grasses, sedges, and trees) found in the southern Rocky Mountains of the United States. The plants' primary presentation is by color and inflorescence shape, making it relatively easy for the beginner to find a flower, but other search options are also available.

    An excellent resource for those seeking to identify wildflowers of the southern Rockies.
    Zydeco Louisiana Iris Garden - The Species of Louisiana IrisZydeco Louisiana Iris Garden is the outgrowth of Patrick O'Connor's thirty year hobby growing and hybridizing Louisiana irises. In Patrick's own words "The site has extensive information on the five recognized Louisiana iris species, I. hexagona, I. fulva, I. giganticaerulea, I. brevicaulis, and I. nelsonii. Today, it is no longer thought that I. hexagona occurs in Louisiana (it is an East Coast and Florida species), but the other four are native to the state as well as elsewhere."

    Definitely worth a visit to help identify / understand Irises of Louisiana.
    Flora of Eastern Washington and Adjacent IdahoFrom the site: "This site is provided for instructional and educational purposes or for the enjoyment of all those who enjoy the beauty of nature.The majority of images are from taxa found at or near the border between Idaho and Washington. The ultimate goal is to provide images of all taxa found in the region from the base of the Cascade Mountains to western Idaho. However, the emphasis of this project will always be the region near the border between the two states." Site owned by Robert L. Carr and Gerald D. Carr.
    Gallery of Florida Wildflowers, Insects, and Other Creatures Excellent photographs and interesting brief essays on a number of wildflower species found in Florida by Michael E. Abrams.
    Hillside to the Hollow Coalition - WildflowersThe Hillside to the Hollow Coalition is a group working to preserve for trails and recreation a 300-acre open space area that is located where Boise meets the Boise Foothills.

    The wildflowers page of The Hillside to Hollow Coalition website shows a number of wildflowers that are found within this 300-acre area.
    Michigan Flora Online - University of Michigan HerbariumRecommended by Ron Gamble - Based on the website description: "The immediate goals of MICHIGAN FLORA ONLINE are to present, in a searchable and browsable form, the basic information about all vascular plants known to occur outside of cultivation in the state."

    From Ron Gamble: '...really nice Search function, lots of photos for many of the plants listed. - (best and most important advice: don't add too much information in the search line, e.g., just type first few letters of sci or common name...)

    'Example: Type "catch" in the Search menu in the "common name". All the catchflys will come up in a list. If you see an icon under the "image" column, there is at least one photo. Click on "sleepy catchfly", info specifics will appear, and below the image you'll see the link "all images". Click it and you'll see a number of photos.'

    My take: This is not exclusive to flowering plants, but appears to be an invaluable aid to identification of wildflower species found in Michigan. It is searchable by common and scientific names, family, genus, and some plant characteristics. It usually includes at least one photograph (frequently several) of the plant to help in identification, as well as listing the counties where it has been confirmed to have been found. It includes some descriptive information, although in my limited perusal of the site it appears to be more descriptive of the habitat, growth habit, and origin than of the plant itself. Still, a very valuable and admirable asset, and if I were identifying plants I found in Michigan, I would refer to this site in most cases as a confirmation or even as a primary identification source.
    Sonoran Desert Plants "Guide with color photos and line drawings to almost 400 species of Sonoran Desert Plants." This is the flora section of Arizonensis.org - a website focused on Arizona Natural History. The flora section presents nearly 400 plants of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.
    University of Wyoming Rocky Mountain Herbarium"Founded in 1893 by Aven Nelson, the Rocky Mountain Herbarium (RM) contains the largest collection of Rocky Mountain plants and fungi in existence with additional representation of the floras of other parts of the Northern Hemisphere."
    Wildflowers of Augusta County, VaParaphrased description from the author, Dr. Eric Jones of the School of Science at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, VA:

    The site is the result of a quarter century of teaching a field botany course, mainly to nonmajors, and a love of photography. This site is an attempt to introduce you to 240 of the wildflowers of Augusta Co. VA. All pictures taken in Augusta County VA, located at the Southern End of the Skyline Drive - Northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
    Wildflowers of Texas"This site is dedicated to providing information and photos of all varieties wildflowers and plants that grow in Texas. I hope you will find this website informative and enjoyable."

    Alva Chance has published photos and information on over 100 Texas wildflowers, organized by blossom color. There are a number of very nice photographs useful for identification for each plant.
    DLiA - Discover Life in America, Division MagnoliophytaThe website description says "The mission of Discover Life in America is to discover and understand America's species through science and education for conservation." However, at this point it appears to be only focused on life in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I use it to provide a species listing of flowering plants in the Smokies. In some cases, as is expected with classification in the state of flux we find it today, some of the scientific names they use are not accepted according to ITIS, and some plants are listed in families different from how I have them listed.
    Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council List of Non-native Invasive Plants in GeorgiaFrom the website: "The purpose of the Georgia EPPC Invasive Plant List is to identify and categorize plants that pose threats to natural areas in Georgia. Natural areas are those areas that are managed to conserve or restore the native plant communities. For this list, invasive plants do not include plants that are only problems in agricultural or pastoral systems. The list does not have regulatory authority; it is intended to aid in land management decisions and increase public awareness of invasive species."

    Minnesota Noxious Weed List (2017)Excerpted from document:
    The Minnesota Noxious Weed Law defines a noxious weed as an annual, biennial, or perennial plant that the Commissioner of Agriculture designates to be injurious to the public health, the environment, public roads, crops, livestock, or other property. The purpose of the law is to protect residents of the state from the injurious effects of noxious weeds.

    There are currently forty-one plant species regulated as noxious weeds in Minnesota.
    Tennessee Pest Plants List (2009)This is the latest list of Tennessee noxious weeds that I could find, which was apparently last revised in April, 2009. The plants on the list are considered "pest plants" and are not to be propagated, sold, or released within the state. There are 12 plants on the list as of April, 2009.
    Kris Light's Website of East Tennessee Wildflowers and Hiking TrailsThis site has as of this writing 715 different East Tennessee wildflowers in the various photo galleries, which can be searched by common name and scientific name. In addition, Kris Light has made wildflower photo/ID trips to Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah, and has additional wildflower photos from those states
    Wildflower SightingsWildflower Sightings is a beginning effort at a "Community" website where you can share your wildflower sighting, photographs, and information, and, of course, see what others have found. There is an opportunity for discussion and wildflower identification help from the community. This site looks like it has a lot of great potential as the community grows.

    Right now (March, 2013) the sightings listed are limited to Texas (plus one sighting from NE Georgia) - the location of the originators of the website, presumably - so I'll list this in Texas wildflower identification resources.
    Blueshoe Nashville Guide to Tennessee WildflowersVery nice photographs with common name, scientific name, and photograph location. Organized by location, but the small thumbnails on the main wildflower page can be used to scan for matches. Edited by Cheryl Hiers.
    Fontenelle Forest NatureSearch - WildflowersFrom the site: "We've identified close to 300 species of wildflowers so far by walking the trails and prairies of Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods... To help in searching for a particular species page, the wildflowers are separated by color, and within each color category by the approximate date they first bloom. But be aware that intermediate or variable colors do occur..." Recommended by Rachel Hall, this appears to be an excellent site for wildflower identification for Nebraska, especially the eastern part of the state, along with the nearby states of SD, IA, KS, and MO.
    Idaho Wildflowers Mobile App by High Country Apps, LLC Extract from the publisher description: "The University of Washington Herbarium at the Burke Museum has partnered with the University of Idaho's Stillinger Herbarium, Idaho State University's Ray J. Davis Herbarium, Mark Turner, and High Country Apps to produce Idaho Wildflowers, a plant identification app for smart phones and tablets. The app provides images, species descriptions, range maps, bloom period, and technical descriptions for more than 800 common wildflowers, shrubs, and vines found in Idaho and adjacent areas of Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Utah. The majority of species included are native, but introduced species common to the region are covered as well. The app does not need an Internet connection to run, so you can use it no matter how remote your wanderings take you."

    I have purchased this application since it is available for the Kindle Fire HD, and I think it will be a great resource when I get back to Idaho. However, it is no longer listed on Amazon.com, so I assume that the Kindle version is no longer available.
    Oregon Wildflowers Mobile App by High Country Apps, LLC A description provided to me by Oregon State University: "The Oregon Flora Project at Oregon State University and High Country Apps have partnered to produce the new Oregon Wildflowers plant identification app for iOS and Android mobile devices. The app provides photographs, range maps, bloom period, and detailed descriptions for more than 940 common wildflowers, shrubs, and vines that occur throughout Oregon and adjacent areas of California, Washington and Idaho. Designed for both budding wildflower enthusiasts and experienced botanists, Oregon Wildflowers will appeal to individuals who are interested in the names and natural history of the plants they encounter. It is an excellent educational tool for all ages to learn about botany, plant communities, and ecology using the plants found throughout Oregon. Each of the 948 plants profiled has multiple photographs, distribution maps, and a detailed description. The majority of species included are native, and introduced species common to the region are also covered. Plant hunters can use the app to identify species in all ten of of Oregon's diverse ecoregions. Users can browse through the stunning photographs of plants organized by common name, scientific name, or by family to select a plant and access the related information. However, most users will likely use the identification key that is the core of the app to identify an unknown plant of interest."

    The application, which I'm sure has a large database and therefore requires a fair amount of memory on your device, does not require an Internet connection to use after the initial download. This application is no longer listed as working on Kindle Fire tablets. However, it does work on other Android devices, and reportedly on IOS (iPad / iPhone).
    Washington Wildflowers Mobile App by High Country Apps, LLC Modified publisher description: "The University of Washington Herbarium at the Burke Museum and High Country Apps have partnered to produce the Washington Wildflowers plant identification app for iOS and Android mobile devices. The app provides images, species descriptions, range maps, bloom period, and technical descriptions for 870 common wildflowers, shrubs, and vines found in Washington and adjacent areas of British Columbia, Idaho, and Oregon. Each of the 870 plants profiled has multiple photographs, distribution maps, and a detailed description. The majority of species included are native, and introduced species common to the region are also covered. Most users will likely use the identification key that is the core of the app to identify an unknown plant of interest.
    Flora by MaxPDF files containing information and photos about 147 different plant families, covering about 1,187 species and varieties. Generally there is a single PDF file for each family, although some of the families are so large Max has 2 or more PDF files to cover the family (Asteraceae has 10.)

    Max Brown has built an impressive botanical collection. He is an amateur botanist (a retired geologist) and so the information is presented using some pretty technical language, but if you know the family you're interested in, Max's site is worth the time for the visit.
    2bnTheWild.com Daniel Reed's excellent 2bnthewild Site has photographs, identification information, and other interesting information about wildflowers (and other wildlife subjects) from the Southeastern United States. Since "Southeastern United States" isn't defined I've chosen my own list of states from the perspective that Daniel appears to be located near Memphis.
    Hiking Trail Wildflowers and Plants by the OFHCAs of Aug 22, 2009, 325 species by the 30 members of the "Old Friends Hiking Club" taken as they hike the trails of northeast Georgia, southwest North Carolina, and northwest South Carolina. Flower lists are available sorted by common name, scientific name, or time of year the photo was taken. The thumbnail description also tells which trail on which the photo was taken.
    Reny's WildflowersReny Parker's wildflower galleries, with "over 1,820 images identified to 79 plant families." Includes family and species common and scientific names, photo location. Searchable by color, shape, location, and name. Very nice photographs.
    Southeastern FloraSome very nice esthetically-pleasing identification photographs of a large number of wildflowers. Search criteria includes flower color, plant form (tree/shrub/herb/vine), leaf type, leaf arrangement, and species/common/family name. Note: If you don't know the entire name, use "%" at the end as a wild-card in the search. From the site: "...Currently there are over 1020 species listed on this site and over 14,400 pictures to help you identify what you're looking for..." This is an increase of 90 species in the 2 months between 8/15/09 and 10/15/09.
    Turner Photographics Wildflowers of the Pacific NorthwestOver 7,000 excellent photographs from Washington and Oregon and northern California, by one of the co-authors of 'Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest' (see below.) These are indexed by Latin and Common name, by blossom color, and by blossom characteristic. Good information about each species, and the detail page includes a county-level map of distribution. This is one of my first go-to sites for wildflowers in the northwestern United States.
    Wildflowers WestMark Lee Dixon's & Darice Susan Dixon's wildflower website, with wildflowers organized by blossom color. They usually include multiple photographs of a plant, with at least one of the blossom and another of the whole plant or the leaf infrastructure to help with identification. Additional informative text is included, including common and scientific names. Very nice photographs.
    Wildflower Field Guide - DesertUSAOver 50 species of wildflowers found in USA deserts, organized by flower color. Common name, scientific name, and desert regions in which they are found - Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Great Basin. These deserts touch 7 states in the western US.

    This site also has good information about parks and destinations within these deserts, including, as an example, updates on wildflower status within the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Check on the "Destinations" drop-down menu at the top of the pages.
    All Taxa Biodiversity InventoryComprehensive list of species inhabiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I use it to confirm if an identified species exists in the park, since basically you need to know the taxonomy of the plant to find it in the data.

    In some cases, as is expected with classification in the state of flux we find it today, some of the scientific names DLIA uses are not accepted according to ITIS, and some plants are listed in families different from how I have them listed.
    Flora of the Inland Pacific Northwest by Thayne TuasonOver 300 plants of Central Washington, and more from Idaho. Organized by scientific name, grouped alphabetically.
    Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at AustinPerhaps the most comprehensive native wildflower information site in the United States. "Discover more than 10,050 plants native to North America."
    USDA Plants DatabaseGreat resource for native plants! Their own description: "The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories." Provides these important (to me) pieces of info: 1) Listing by state and county within a state where specific species have been identified. 2) Scientific name synonyms are listed. 3) Scientific names are matched to a widely-used common name. 4) Photographs of many species. 5) State by state list of all the species identified in that state. Official Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2009. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 22 June 2009). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
    Flicker Wildflower Field Guide, North AmericaOver 9,000 Flickr member photos tagged with wfgna. The WFGNA group has good tagging requirements for their excellent photos, so you'll find, in addtion to the photo, the state in which the photo was taken, and at least a common name and the scientific name as identified by the contributor. After you get to the linked page you should add search criteria, including the state name, the color of the plant, or scientific name, to reduce the number of photos. Several states have several hundred photos(California has over 1,500!) so you'll probably want to add color to the search criteria.
    WildflowerSearch.comSteven K. Sullivan has done a tremendous job of putting together a database and search engine to help in identifying wild plants. Not only can you search by plant scientific and common names, you can narrow the results using location (currently lower 48 states and parts of Canada and Mexico), flower shape, color, size, habitat, and observation time. His database currently includes over 7,000 plants. Definitely worth checking out.
    Item at Amazon: Field Guide to Wildflowers of Nebraska and the Great Plains by Jon Farrar
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Arranged by flower color, which makes it easier to find if you don't know the family. The reviewers of this book seemed particularly impressed by the photographs. The descriptions of the plants are apparently not in-depth, but have the key characteristices needed for identification, which is exactly what you want for a field guide.
    Item at Amazon: Flora of Virginia
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Flora of Virginia is the result of a massive 11-year undertaking to produce THE authoritative work on the plant life of the state of Virginia. Anything botanical that includes Alan S. Weakley as one of the authors will be a valuable addition to the library of the professional or serious amateur botanist. This book covers all of the known 3,164 plant species found in Virginia, including not only technical descriptions and keys, but illustrations for 1,400 of them. It is not a field guide, but a research reference to be held in great esteem.
    Item at Amazon: Alaska Trees & Wildflowers
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Alaska Trees & Wildflowers, An Introduction to Familiar Plants, by James Kavanagh and Raymond Leung, is a reference guide for beginners and experts alike. The Pocket Naturalist(tm) series is an introduction to common plants and animals and natural phenomena. Each pocket-sized, folding guide highlights up to 150 species and most feature a map identifying prominent sanctuaries and outstanding natural attractions. Each is laminated for durability. (3 1/2 X 8 1/4 folded, opens to 22 X 8 1/4, color illustrations, map)
    Item at Amazon: The Nature of Alaska, 2nd: An Introduction to Familiar Plants, Animals & Outstanding Natural Attractions (Waterford Field Guides)
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		An illustrated guide to the nature of Alaska, including wildflowers, by James Kavahagh and Raymond Leung, at Amazon.com. A more comprehensive reference by the same author and illustrator of Alaska Trees & Wildflowers, An Introduction to Familiar Plants.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers of Wyoming: Second Edition
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Described as "a no-nonsense wildflower reference and identification guide" and "sorting small-sized pictures of Wyoming wildflowers by color and flower shape, makes identifying a given species of flower an extremely simple task" by a reviewer on Amazon.com.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers of Arkansas
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Describes 600 wildflowers of Arkansas, with color photographs of 484 of them. Organized by family, which may make identification more difficult for the beginner than those organized by color and blossom shape. This book received very high reviews by purchasers, both for the quality of the photographs and for the plant descriptions. In my opinion, this would be an excellent companion to a field guide such as Audubon's.
    Item at Amazon: Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Guide to identification of 500 Florida plant species. Uses nine key characteristics of the plant, leaf, and flower to aid identification. The guide is arranged by botanical classification of family, and alphabetically by genus within family.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers And Grasses Of Kansas: A Field Guide
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		This book is authored by the publisher of the "Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses" website listed above. It was selected by the State Libary of Kansas for the Kansas 150th birthday celebration in 2011 as one of the 150 Best Kansas Books.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers of Ohio, Second Edition
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Wildflowers of Ohio by Robert L. Henn This second edition of the 1998 paperback by Robert L. Henn has an interesting format to assist in identifying wildflowers. It presents over 300 species of Ohio wildflowers, three to a page with descriptive information on each species on the opposite page. This looks like an excellent guide, and seems to be well-regarded. If I lived in Ohio I would own one.
    Item at Amazon: Idaho Mountain Wildflowers: A Photographic Compendium
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		This is the third edition of Idaho Mountain Wildflowers. The second edition included over 500 species which are found in the mountains of Idaho, and the 3rd edition has added many more wildflowers. The information and photographs included are excellent. It is organized alphabetically by family, so it might take some browsing to find a wildflower unless you are experienced enough to recognize the family, but the family information itself is worth the price of entry.

    I own the 2nd edition, purchased for a trip to Idaho, and it has proven itself to be an excellent investment. Many of the flowers found in the Idaho mountains are also found in nearby states as well as in lower elevations, extending its usefulness. The main complaint I have is that some of the page numbers in the index are incorrect in the 2nd edition.
    Item at Amazon: Wild Orchids of Texas
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		From Amazon description: "This beautifully illustrated book presents all 54 wild orchids of Texas. The species descriptions that accompany Joe Liggio's lovely color photos discuss the plant's flowers, blooming season, pollinators, typical habitats, and range (also shown by map), including its distribution within and beyond Texas. The species are grouped by genus and also listed by color, county, and habitat for easy reference."

    As of this writing in October 2013, it has a five star rating by all 5 reviewers.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers of Michigan Field Guide
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Includes 200 species of wildflowers found in Michigan, organized by color and size. The sample photos from the book that I saw online showed both the flowers and the leaves to help in identification.
    Item at Amazon: Lone Star Wildflowers: A Guide to Texas Flowering Plants (Grover E. Murray Studies in the American Southwest)
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		This wildflower identification guide book by LaShara J. Nieland and Willa F. Finley contains nearly 500 color photographs of Texas wildflowers, grouped by color for easier identification.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers of California's North Coast Range
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		This appears to be a very nice photographic guide targeted for those of us who are not botanists. The author, Reny Parker, has been a president of a local chapter of the California Native Plant Society, so has established her credentials for knowledge and access to knowledgeable friends.

    Reny presents 358 species of wildflowers found in Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino counties of California with brief, understandable descriptions and over 500 beautiful photographs.

    The author also maintains the Reny's Wildflowers website described above.
    Item at Amazon: A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina by Richard D. Porcher and Douglas A. Rayner takes an interestingly different approach to grouping the more than 700 described species by habitat, while most other field guides group the photographs by color or by plant family. This is much more than a wildflower identification field guide, however, including information on the natural history of certain plant groups, itineraries for wildflower expeditions in South Carolina, essays on a variety of related topic, and more.
    Item at Amazon: An Illustrated Guide to Eastern Woodland Wildflowers and Trees: 350 Plants Observed at Sugarloaf Mountain, Maryland (Center Books)
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		This guide to 350 wildflowers found at Sugarloaf Mountain uses nearly 400 illustrations rather than photographs to help identify the plants. It uses a key system, with the plants grouped by family. While the reviews indicate that the illustrations are beautiful, they are not in color.
    Item at Amazon: Northland Wildflowers: The Comprehensive Guide to the Minnesota Region, Revised Edition
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		"For more than two decades the first edition of Northland Wildflowers has been the standard guide to wildflowers of the Upper Midwest and Canada..." This is the revised edition, with updated photos and additional species.
    Item at Amazon: The Plants of Pennsylvania: An Illustrated Manual
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Borders says this "is the authoritative guide to identifying the nearly 3,400 species of flowering plants, ferns, and gymnosperms." It takes over 1,000 pages to describe and illustrate the plants of Pennsylvania. This appears to be among the most respected technical manuals on Pennsylvania flora. Much of the identification process is likely by key attributes rather than by visual images. This will not be a guide you carry into the field with you
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians: 2nd Edition
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		A product of the Tennessee Native Plant Society, this excellent and comprehensive field guide covers over 1250 species using 800 photographs and valuable descriptive text. While the focus is Tennessee, it's area of coverage includes the entire states of Kentucky and West Virginia, as well as large parts of 13 other states. In addition to the description of the plants it has an interesting look at botany from a historical perspective of the region. While the main part of the book is organized by plant family, there is a color-keyed section of thumbnails that allows a quick scan for identification, and there are illustrated keys for 12 of the families.

    This is my favorite wildflower identification book that I have, and I consider it a "must have" for wildflower enthusiasts in the region.
    Item at Amazon: East Gulf Coastal Plain Wildflowers
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		"This guide to the common wildflowers found in the Gulf Coastal region of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Alabama features 300 beautiful color photographs. Detailed plant descriptions and line art aid in plant identification for botanists and novice enthusiasts alike. Each species description is accompanied by a 'Comments' section giving lore about the plant, its uses, or its name. "
    Item at Amazon: Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		If you live in Texas and are interested in landscaping with native plants (If you are into landscape gardening, you should be interested in landscaping with native plants!) this highly regarded book might be just what you are looking for.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest (Timber Press Field Guide)
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		"Featuring more than 1240 stunning color photographs, this comprehensive field guide will remain a trusted, authoritative trailside reference for years to come. It describes and illustrates 1220 commonly encountered species" - This book appears to be the regional guide one needs for wildflower identification in the Pacific Northwest. It has received excellent reviews on Amazon.
    Wildflower Information.orgFrom the site: "WildflowerInformation.org is a resource for wildflower enthusiasts and gardeners. With a growing interest in the environment and natural gardening, our objective is to offer comprehensive information that is easy to use, and accessible for those from the casually interested to the expert."

    While this information doesn't appear to be on the website itself, WildflowerInformation.org seems to be owned by American Meadows, the "recommended wildflowers seed supplier" of WildflowerInformation.org.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers in the Field and Forest: A Field Guide to the Northeastern United States (Glassberg Field Guide)
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		This is a photographic field guide discussing more than 1,500 species of wildflowers found in the Northeastern United States. Plants are arranged arranged by flower color. Within color flowers with other similar attributes such as leaf arrangement and petal arrangement are grouped together. Based on the little bit I've been able to see of the book on Amazon, it appears to be pretty good, but it may have sparse supporting descriptions of the plants that are frequently needed if you want to identify to the species. It received good reviews (4+stars) on Amazon.
    Item at Amazon: National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Covering the region from Alaska to California and east to the Great Plains, this well-produced, compact guidebook contains more than 940 photos of over 650 species of wildflowers of western North America. The color images are grouped by flower color to suit the needs of inexperienced enthusiasts. I think anyone interested in wildflowers in the western United States should have a copy of this guide. Situated in the Eastern U.S., I use the Eastern Region guide extensively.
    Item at Amazon: National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers--E: Eastern Region - Revised Edition
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		"...gives full descriptions of more than 650 species found east of the Rocky Mountains, along with notes on several hundred more. The eminently sensible organization relies on first-impression visible characteristics..."
    I use this guide frequently, and unless I have a good idea what family a flower is in, this is usually still my first stop. In my opinion, a must-have for beginning wildflower enthusiasts; augments more locale-specific wildflower references.
    Item at Amazon: New England Wildflowers: A Guide To Common Plants (Wildflower Series) 1st Edition, Kindle Edition
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		"New England Wildflowers is the most complete guide available to the common wildflowers and flowering plants found in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine." More than 300 plants with photos organized by color. Now available in a Kindle edition.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region: A Comprehensive Field Guide
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		"Describing more than 1,100 species, this is a comprehensive guide to wildflowers in Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Ontario. A new introduction to this second edition discusses wildflowers in the context of their natural communities. Packed with detailed information, this field guide is compact enough to be handy for outdoors lovers of all kinds, from novice naturalists to professional botanists."
    Item at Amazon: Summer & Fall Wildflowers of New England
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		"...a revised, second edition of Marilyn Dwelley's indispensable guide to summer and fall wildflowers in New England. Each listing includes a thorough text description, as well as details about range, growth habits, and habitat. Includes Latin names and families, in addition to common names, and more than 700 color illustrations."

    This book is well-regarded by reviewers on Amazon, one of whom reports that the plants are organized by blossom color. Note that the illustrations are drawings rather than photographs.
    Item at Amazon: Wildflowers and Ferns of Indiana Forests: A Field Guide (Indiana Natural Science)
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		From Amazon: "This beautifully illustrated guide identifies nearly 300 common plants in Indiana's most prominent ecosystem--the Eastern Deciduous Forest. For ease of identification, the plants are arranged by flower color or growth form, providing a convenient way to distinguish a great majority of plants in any given woodland. Generous treatment is given to all major vascular plant groups of the forest, such as wildflowers, ferns, shrubs, trees, grasses, and sedges. Michael A. Homoya not only helps with identification, but also offers information on a plant's habitat, flowering period, familial relationships, biology, and connections to Indiana. For the garden enthusiast and habitat restorer, there is a section on landscaping and natural community restoration using native forest plants. A portion of the proceeds from each sale of this book go to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for land protection and stewardship."
    Item at Amazon: Photographing Smoky Mountain Wildflowers: (including Blue Ridge Parkway) (Photographing the Smokies) (Volume 3)
    (Commission to USWildflowers.com if purchased)    		Beautiful photographs of 200 species of wildflowers that are found in the Smoky Mountains, along with suggested trails and locations in the park where wildflowers can be found. Includes scientific name and common names, along with family common name, habitat type, and bloom period. In my limited review of the book, there appears to usually be a single photo per species and little descriptive information, so if there are similar species, it might be difficult to determine if the plant you are attempting to identify is actually the species in the book or instead one of the similar species. If, however, you want to generally identify the plant ("Bluet" for example, rather than "Creeping Bluet") it appears that this book can be a very good aid.

    Looking for Wildflowers for a specific state? Check here:



    Number of References for All States: 171

    USWildflowers.com Database

    Family Index for 649 Wildflowers of All States
    Thumbnails of 649 Wildflowers of All States
    Pycnanthemum incanum
    White Wildflowers of All States (304)
    Prenanthes serpentaria
    Yellow Wildflowers of All States (197)
    Mimulus nanus
    Red Wildflowers of All States (222)
    Phacelia purshii
    Blue Wildflowers of All States (93)
    Arisaema quinatum
    Green Wildflowers of All States (49)
    Epifagus virginiana
    Other Color Wildflowers of All States (14)







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    Page updated 02/09/2021