45 Common Types Of Oklahoma Wildflowers Including Photos

Wildflowers are a type of flowers that form in the wild, without any assistance from people. 

Some may choose to plant wildflowers in their backyards, but in most cases, wildflowers are native. They can grow in a lot of different environments, like wetlands, meadows, and forests. 

Native plants are important for nature, as they provide nutrients and shelter for many animals, as well as humans. 

There are a lot of wildflowers that grow around North America, some of which are more common in certain states. You’ll find some examples of common wildflowers seen in the state of Oklahoma, which all have distinct colors, fragrances, and characteristics.

As you go through this list, keep in mind that some of the wildflowers in this post are invasive species, so they shouldn’t be planted in your home’s garden. 

Keep reading to learn more about Oklahoma’s common wildflowers! 

Purple Colored Wildflowers

1. Winter Vetch – Vicia Villosa

Winter Vetch goes by several names, including Hairy Vetch, Fodder Vetch, and Vicia Species. It reaches between one to three feet in height and blooms between summer and fall. 

Gardeners often plant Winter Vetch along with tomatoes. The wildflower adds nitrogen to the soil, preventing weeds from growing. 

You can spot Winter Vetch growing in Oklahoma’s grasslands, roadsides, and meadows. 

2. Purple Loosestrife – Lythrum Salicaria

Purple Loosestrife is attractive, but it colonizes native plants, making it an invasive species. It can replicate itself fast, as every one of its spikes forms up to 300,000 seeds. The wildflower can reach up to five feet in height and starts to bloom in summer. 

Purple Loosestrife grows in wet conditions, so you can find it growing in Oklahoma’s marshes, ditches, and lakesides. 

3. New England Aster – Symphyotrichum Novae-Angliae

This vibrant wildflower produces purple leaves and a distinctive yellow core. It can reach up to seven feet in height and starts to bloom in the fall. 

New England Aster usually grows in wet conditions, but it can survive in sand and dry soil. Its lengthy bloom time makes it a good choice to plant in your garden too. 

4. Tall Morning Glory – Ipomoea Purpurea

Tall Morning Glory produces vibrant purple petals that have a pink and white center. They can reach 15 feet in height and start blooming from summer onwards. 

The wildflower is known as a weed around Oklahoma and thrives best in rich, dry soil. You can find it growing in old fields, waste sites, and roadsides around the state. 

5. Common Grape Hyacinth – Muscari Botryoides

This interesting wildflower resembles a group of small grapes, which gives it the name Grape Hyacinth. You can find it growing in several environments around Oklahoma, like roadsides, foothills, and fields.

Common Grape Hyacinth grows easily, so it’s a nice choice to add to your garden. However, beware of squirrels, deer, and rabbits, as they regularly eat their flowers for food. 

6. Violet Wood Sorrel – Oxalis Violacea

This wildflower is also known by other names, including Shamrock, Sour Grass, and Sour Trefoil. It reaches between four and eight feet tall and starts to bloom from spring onwards.

Violet Wood Sorrel is native to Oklahoma and thrives in damp, open conditions. You can find it growing in the state’s moist woodlands, streams, and damp prairies. 

If you spot this wildflower, be careful, as they contain oxalic acid which can be toxic in large amounts. 

7. Dame’s Rocket – Hesperis Matronalis

Dame’s Rocket is a fast-spreading wildflower that is located throughout Oklahoma. You can find it growing in the state’s woodlands and meadows. 

This wildflower is regularly mixed up with native Phlox plants that have comparable groups of flowers. The difference here is that phloxes have five petals per flower and oppositely arranged leaves, while Dame’s Rocket has four petals and alternately grouped leaves. 

8. Shooting Star – Primula Meadia

This vibrant wildflower produces purple-pink petals on top of a tall stalk. Shooting Star is also known by other names, including Indian Chief, Rooster Heads, and American Cowslip. 

Shooting Stars are interesting, as their blooms initially grow downwards, but their stalk turns upright once pollinated. You can find it growing in Oklahoma’s prairies and forests during springtime. 

Blue Colored Wildflowers

9. Narrowleaf Blue Eyed Grass – Sisyrinchium Angustifolium

Narrowleaf Blue-Eyed Grass is a common wildflower that grows all over Oklahoma. You can find it growing in open woods, roadsides, and damp fields around the state.

This bright wildflower is a great source of pollen and nectar, which is ideal for drawing in bees and butterflies. Songbirds also travel to the plant, as they use its seeds for food. 

Other names for this wildflower include Blue-eyed Grass and Bermuda Blue-eyed Grass.

10. Common Blue Violet – Viola Sororia

This beautiful wildflower starts to produce blue-purple blooms around the middle of spring. Though the wildflower is pretty, it is considered a weed by many people in Oklahoma. It can lure in wild turkeys, deer, and ants wherever it starts to grow. 

It can also fire its seeds a large distance away, so if you’re looking to grow a perfectly manicured lawn, you should avoid planting this wildflower anywhere near your home. 

11. Pickerelweed – Pontederia Cordata

This aquatic wildflower thrives in wetlands, like Oklahoma’s lakes, streams, and ponds. Pickerelweed can reach as high as four feet and blooms from the beginning of summer to fall. 

This wildflower draws in bumblebees and butterflies that gather nectar from its flowers. Ducks also like to feed on their many seeds. 

12. Bird’s Foot Violet – Viola Pedata

This unique wildflower’s name comes from the shape of its blooms, as some believe it looks like a bird’s foot. It starts to bloom around spring and can reach between 4-10 inches in height. 

Bird’s Foot Violet’s distinct appearance draws in pollinators, like butterflies and bees. You can find Bird’s Foot Violet growing in Oklahoma’s open woods, sandy soil, and open fields.  

13. Blue Moon – Phlox Divaricata

This aromatic wildflower has bold white and blue blooms, along with hairy stalks that feel sticky when touched. They can reach as tall as 20 inches and start blooming from spring onwards. 

Blue Moon is a deer-resistant wildflower, so it’s a nice choice to add to your garden’s borders and flowerbeds. They also lure in hummingbirds and butterflies, so they are ideal for attracting pollinators to your backyard. 

14. Spiderwort – Tradescantia Virginiana

Spiderwort goes by other names, like Blue Jacket and Virginia Spiderwort. This wildflower produces vivid blue-purple petals with yellow stamens at the center. 

Though it is an underused garden plant, Spiderwort is a nice choice to add some color to your garden’s flower beds. 

You can find Spiderwort growing in well-drained soils around Oklahoma, like meadows, fields, and forest borders. 

15. Eastern Blue Star – Amsonia Tabernaemontana

Eastern Blue Star goes by several other names, including Willow Blue Star, Willow Amsonia, and Blue Dogbane. It can reach as high as 36 inches and starts to bloom around late spring.

Eastern Blue Star grows best in damp, but not waterlogged, soil. You can find it growing along Oklahoma’s roadsides and open forests. 

This wildflower is, for the most part, pest free, so it’s a nice choice to draw hummingbirds and butterflies to your home. However, be careful during planting, as its milky sap can irritate the skin. 

16. Climbing Dayflower – Commelina Diffusa

Though this wildflower is pretty, it’s known as an aggressive weed throughout Oklahoma. Climbing Dayflower spreads fast, creeping across the earth to root its stems. 

This wildflower’s blooms are used for their color, as they are processed to extract their blue dye for paints. Some people also use the plant for medicinal purposes, as it works well as a diuretic. 

Pink Colored Wildflowers 

17. Large Beardtongue – Penstemon Grandiflorus

This wildflower is native to Oklahoma and is endemic, so it only grows in North America. You can spot Large Beardtongue easily, thanks to its big, pale pink blooms on top of short stems. 

The wildflower can reach as tall as 48 inches and regularly attracts pollinators to its vibrant flowers. Hummingbirds, bumblebees, and other birds are all examples that visit this interesting plant. 

18. Trumpetweed – Eutrochium Fistulosum

This pretty wildflower is very tall, as it can reach as high as 144 inches! It emits a pleasant vanilla scent and is a significant source of nectar for honeybees and butterflies. 

You can find Trumpetweed growing in Oklahoma’s wet forests, roadside ditches, and prairies around summertime. 

19. Spring Beauty – Claytonia Virginica

As the name suggests, this attractive wildflower starts to bloom in spring, bringing a colorful sight to many places in Oklahoma. 

Spring Beauty (This wildflower is also present in Vermont. Find out more about it.) creates beautiful scenes covered with white, yellow, and pink flowers. Each star-shaped bloom has delicate, dark pink lines running through them. The wildflowers are also loved by native bees, as they enjoy feeding on the nectar within. 

You can find this wildflower growing in Oklahoma’s lawns, moist forest areas, and parks. 

20. Virginia Meadow Beauty – Rhexia Virginica

Virginia Meadow Beauty also goes by the name of Handsome Harry. It starts to bloom in the summertime and can reach as much as 36 inches in height. 

Virginia Meadow Beauty creates an amazing sight of blue and pink blooms. Its leaves, seeds, and stems are also attractive when fall comes around, turning a distinct red shade when the season ends. 

21. Pink Fuzzy Bean – Strophostyles Umbellata

This wildflower is native to Oklahoma, but it is at risk of extinction in several locations. Pink Fuzzybean usually thrives in sandy soil near fields and woodlands. 

Pink Fuzzybean initially produces bright pink flowers, but once they have been pollinated, they turn to a pale peach color. The wildflower is attractive, but it isn’t often planted in gardens as it can only grow when kept away from other flowering plants. 

22. Rose Gentian – Sabatia Angularis

Rose Gentian is easily spotted, thanks to its pink, star-shaped blooms with a distinct yellow core. The wildflower starts to bloom in summer and can reach up to 39 inches in height. 

You can find Rose Gentian growing in Oklahoma’s marshes, thickets, and forest edges. Its bright appearance draws in pollinators, like butterflies, easily. Despite this, the wildflower does have a bitter flavor, so most herbivores tend to avoid using the flower for food. 

23. Crown Vetch – Securigera Varia

Crown Vetch does produce attractive pink flowers, but it is considered an invasive species within North America. The wildflower originated from Africa, Europe, and Asia, but was brought over as groundcover to handle soil erosion. 

Crown Vetch thrives in Oklahoma’s sandy, sunny areas where it can take over less robust plants. 

If you do want to plant Crown Vetch at home, keep it in an isolated area well away from other gardens. Keep maintaining its growth to avoid it colonizing other ecosystems elsewhere. 

24. Showy Evening Primrose – Oenothera Speciosa

This wildflower is one of Oklahoma’s most remarkable plants. Its name comes from its flowers, as they start to open in the evening, transforming scenes with their white and pink petals. 

Showy Evening Primrose can be used as an ornamental plant, but it’s best to keep them in posts, as they replicate fast and can turn invasive. 

White Colored Wildflowers

25. Cut-leaved Toothwort – Cardamine Concatenata

Cut-leaved Toothwort starts to bloom in spring, bringing scenes to life with its red, pink, and white flowers. Its bell-shaped blooms have four petals per flower, which also have a pleasant aroma. 

You can find this wildflower growing in Oklahoma’s rocky banks, moist woodlands, and floodplains. It’s a significant food source for pollinators, like bumble bees and butterflies. 

26. White Trout Lily – Erythronium Albidum

White Trout Lilies are beautiful, but their blooms only last for a fortnight during spring. They create big colonies on woodland floors, acting as a nutrient source for the soil. 

You can find White Trout Lilies growing in Oklahoma’s deciduous forests, keeping an eye out for their white blooms and yellow anthers. 

27. Boneset – Eupatorium Perfoliatum

Bonneset produces groups of little, fuzzy blooms on top of thick leaves. It has a lengthy blooming season, growing flowers that last from midsummer to fall.

Boneset is used for medicinal purposes, but it is listed in the FDA’s Poisonous Plants database. Always take care when using products with this wildflower. 

28. White Snakeroot – Ageratina Altissima

This wildflower creates fuzzy white blooms that are grouped on top of long stalks. It blooms from summer to fall and can reach up to 60 inches in height.

White Snakeroot is known for being poisonous to horses, sheep, goats, and cattle. Livestock can be poisoned after ingesting the plant, which can also be fatal to humans. You can spot this wildflower in Oklahoma’s thickets, woodlands, and shaded, open areas – just be careful when doing so. 

29. Fleabane – Erigeron Annuus

Fleabane is a category that includes as many as 400 different flowers, a lot of which grow inside Oklahoma. These wildflowers form light, thin sepals that connect to a yellow core.

From spring, you can find Fleabane growing in grasslands, roadsides, and pastures around Oklahoma. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees are also drawn to their flowers, creating a beautiful sight when paired together. 

30. Queen Anne’s Lace – Daucus Carota

This wildflower was brought to North America by early European planters. Queen Anne Lace is a robust weed that can take over meadows, grasslands, and roadsides.

You can find these plants by searching for clusters of white blooms and hairy stalks. The wildflower does spread fast, so you should avoid it growing near your garden. 

31. Whorled Milkweed – Asclepias Verticillata

This single-stemmed wildflower creates groups of flat-topped, little flowers. You can find it growing in Oklahoma’s fields, open woods, and dry prairies.

You may also notice wasps, beetles, and hummingbirds around Whorled Milkweed, as it’s a great food source for pollinators and insects. 

Orange and Red Colored Wildflowers

32. Michigan Lily – Lilium Michiganense

Michigan Lilies can take up to five years to fully mature, but once it grows, they will draw in butterflies and hummingbirds to your home. 

You can spot this wildflower from its vivid orange petals with purple and brown spots. Interestingly, the petals curve back on themselves towards the stem, making this an incredibly unique plant. 

33. Crossvine – Bignonia Capreolata

Crossvine can grow very tall, as much as 50 feet in height. It thrives during cold seasons, so it’s a nice food supply for wintering birds. 

Crossvine produces tubular blooms in vivid orange shades. Though the plant is attractive, it’s very flammable, so it should be kept at least 30 feet away from buildings.

34. Standing Cypress – Ipomopsis Rubra

This robust wildflower has upright, tubular blooms that are bright red and yellow on the inside. You can find Standing Cypresses in many gardens and fields within Oklahoma. 

Standing Cypress grows easily and resists disease and pests well. This makes it a nice choice to plant in your home gardens, as they also bring attractive hummingbirds to your home. 

35. Fire Pink – Silene Virginica

Fire Pink is a carnivorous plant that eats insects that are around it. It also has sticky leaves that catch prey, deterring pests and ants from devouring the leaves.

Fire Pink has five, distinct petals that grow into lengthy tubes. It draws in several common birds, though songbirds also use their seeds for food. 

36. Trumpet Vine – Campsis Radicans

This wildflower forms tubular blooms that are perfect for hummingbirds. Their long beaks work well at gathering the nectar at the flower’s core. 

Trumpet Vines grow very easily, so they need to be trimmed frequently to prevent them from getting out of hand. 

37. Scarlet Gilia – Ipomopsis Aggregata

Scarlet Gilia is also known by the name Skunk Flower, as it has a strong, unpleasant smell. Nevertheless, its odor attracts moths and hummingbirds that thrive on the flower’s nectar.

You can spot Scarlet Gilia easily, thanks to its long, pointy sepals that resemble a firework. It grows in several habitats around Oklahoma, including meadows, rock fields, and cliffs. 

38. Tropical Milkweed – Asclepias Curassavica

This interesting wildflower produces five orange petals that bend backward, along with a yellow star-shaped crest. Tropical Milkweed isn’t native, but it has turned invasive around many North American locations.

Though the wildflower is interesting, it can be harmful wherever it is planted. It carries a parasite known as Ophryocystis Elektroscirrha. Also known as OE, this can lead to defects in Monarch butterfly wings. 

Fortunately, cutting and disposing of Tropical Milkweed can help prevent OE from spreading. 

Yellow Colored Wildflowers

39. John’s Wort – Hypericum Perforatum

St. John’s wort can be spotted easily, as it produces flat top groups of vibrant yellow blooms. It starts to bloom in summer and can grow up to 35 inches in height. 

Though the wildflower is pretty, it is considered to be an invasive species within North America. It can overtake other types of plants and can be fatal to animals, including sheep, livestock, and horses. 

You can find St. John’s Wort growing in Oklahoma’s pastures, sandy soils, and disturbed fields. 

40. Hoary Puccoon – Lithospermum Canescens

Hoary Puccoon starts to bloom in spring and continues until the beginning of summer. The wildflower produces bold yellow flowers that can be seen from a great distance away. 

Hoary Puccoon isn’t usually found in home gardens as it is quite tricky to germinate. You can find the wildflower growing in Oklahoma’s dunes, savannas, and sandy woodlands. 

41. Seedbox – Ludwigia Alternifolia

This native wildflower gets its name from its noticeable, square-like fruits. These fruits form during fall and winter, creating a rattling noise whenever they are shaken. 

Native bees are drawn in by Seedbox’s bold flowers, which form for two to three months during summertime. It stands up to heat well and is a nice choice to plant in water gardens, streams, and lakesides.

You can identify Seedbox by its dark green leaves and little, four-petalled blooms. The wildflower grows in Oklahoma’s marshes, swamps, and wet meadows. 

42. Wood Betony – Pedicularis Canadensis

This unique-looking wildflower has green-yellow blooms that are grouped on short, thick stems. It has hairy, long, and soft leaves that become purple as fall comes around.

Wood Betony can be found in Oklahoma’s savannas, woodlands, and barrens. It’s also a great pollen and nectar source for bees, like Bumblebees and Mason bees. 

43. Sulphur Cinquefoil – Potentilla Recta

Sulphur Cinquefoil can thrive in a variety of environments, including wastelands, shorelines, and fields within Oklahoma. It can be identified by its five-petalled flowers, rigid leafy stalks, and distinct yellow hue. 

Though the flower is attractive, it is thought to be an invasive species, as it can quickly colonize ecosystems and native plants. Avoid planting this wildflower at all costs! 

44. Green-headed Coneflower – Rudbeckia Laciniata

This wildflower produces lengthy, bold, and bright flowers that are hard not to notice! It blooms from summer to fall and can reach as high as 108 inches tall. 

Green-headed Coneflower often draws in pollinators, like butterflies and bees, to Oklahoma’s meadows. The plant does require space to grow, so it’s best saved for bigger landscapes. 

45. Buttercups – Ranunculus

Buttercup is a class of flowers that has around 600 interesting types all over the globe. The wildflower is known for its bold yellow hue and small, ruffled sepals. 

You can find Buttercups growing in Oklahoma’s meadows, roadsides, and moist environments, particularly during spring and summer. 

Final Thoughts

Those were some examples of common wildflowers seen throughout Oklahoma! 

We hope you enjoyed learning about these plants and consider looking out for them when you’re next in the state.

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