![]() NPS Photo There are over 1,500 kinds of flowering plants that grow in Great Smoky Mountains, more than in any other American national park. These are just a few of the summer-blooming wildflowers and flowering shrubs commonly seen in the park during the summer months: Wood Sorrel - Oxalis montana ![]() NPS Photo Nodding Lady's Tresses- Spiranthes cernua ![]() Photo courtesy of Leslie M. Weetman, PhD Maryland Golden Aster- Chrysopsis mariana ![]() Photo courtesy of Leslie M. Weetman, PhD Three- lobed black eyed susans have a hairy stem with leaves that are variable in size and shape. Around the base of each flower are bracts that are narrow, green and leafy. Each flower has outer petals that are yellow or orange around a small disk of dark purple flowers. Three-lobed black eyed susans are the only native black eyed susan in the Smokies and they are commonly seen throughout the park. ![]() NPS Photo Pale Jewelweed (Touch-Me-Nots) - Impatiens pallida ![]() NPS Photo Orange Jewelweed (Spotted Touch-Me-Not) - Impatiens capensis ![]() Photo courtesy of Leslie M. Weetman, PhD Turk's cap lily have petals and sepals turned sharply back on themselves with green streaks appearing at the base of each floral segment. Turk's cap lily is commonly seen over a wide range of the park. ![]() Photo courtesy of Leslie M. Weetman, PhD Butterfly-weed has clusters of deep orange blossoms covering the plant. Each individual flower has five drooping petals with a crown above. It is also sometimes called chigger-weed. Butterfly-weed can be seen in the mid to low elevations of the park. ![]() Kent Cave Photo Cardinal Flower- Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal flower are a blossom of bright red flowers on short stalks. The flowers are arranged in a loose spike and have veiny, toothed leaves arranged alternatly along the stem. Cardinal flowers are frequently seen in the mid to low elevations of the park. ![]() NPS Photo Pink turtlehead have five petals that have fused together to create a two-lipped tube with yellow hairs on the lower three-petal lip. The leaves have obvious stems with rounded bases. Pink turtlehead is frequently seen over a wide range of the park. ![]() NPS Photo New York ironweed is a tall flower that has a dozen or more purple flower heads in a bunched cluster. At the base of each head are green-leafy brackets. New York ironweed is seen in the lower-elevations of the park. ![]() Photo courtesy of Leslie M. Weetman, PhD Joe-Pye-weed is a tall wildflower with leaves in whorls of 3 and 4. It has huge, rounded clusters of pink and purple flowers atop the stem. ![]() Photo courtesy of Leslie M. Weetman, PhD Southern Harebell- Campanula divaricate ![]() NPS Photo Flame Azalea - Rhododendron calendulaceum ![]() NPS Photo Purple Rhododendron- Rhododendron catawbiense Recommended Reading ![]() Wildflowers of the Smokies |
Last updated: July 14, 2015