Wildflowers are very common in the United States, and you are certain to come across some beautiful white wildflowers scattered throughout the country.
White wildflowers are fresh and enticing, and you’re bound to want to know some details about each one!
There are so many different types of white wildflowers out there that it can be difficult to identify them. That’s where this list comes in! If you see one, and you’d like to know how to identify it, you’ll find the answer here.
We’ve compiled a list of 25 different types of white wildflowers that you can find in the US. Use this list to refer to whenever you spot a white wildflower!
If you want to find out more about white wildflowers, keep reading! Let’s dive in.
1. Common Chickweed
The Common Chickweed is a beautiful white wildflower that you can find in the United States. It is considered an agricultural weed because it is extremely resilient, and it will compete with other plants for nutrients.
The seeds of this plant can survive in the ground for 50 years. If you are hoping to spot this wildflower, look out for some small white flowers on roadsides and in meadows.
While this plant may be bad for your garden in some ways, it is great in lots of other ways. Chickens love to eat this wildflower, and it attracts beads, butterflies, and songbirds!
2. White Trout Lily
The White Trout Lily has a single white flower with bright yellow pollen fronds. These flowers only last for around two weeks during mid-spring. This plant will create large colonies on the floor of forests, and it is most commonly found in woodlands.
This wildflower is great for attracting bees and butterflies to your garden. If you want to grow this plant from seed, it will take around four years to bloom.
3. Snow Trillium
The Snow Trillium is an early bloomer, showing through in early spring when the weather is still very cold. It is a beautiful sight when this plant comes through, as it marks the beginning of spring!
You can identify this species by recognizing the three-petalled, funnel-shaped flower. It is usually found near rivers or streams.
This flower takes between 2 and 10 years to bloom, and each plant can survive indefinitely under the right conditions!
4. Fleabane
Fleabane has around 400 species, a large number of which are white wildflowers that are found in the United States. They are very popular among gardeners because of their beautiful delicate petals.
These wildflowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. They are easy to care for because they are drought resistant and self-seeding. This plant looks great in mixed borders or in coastal gardens.
5. Cut-Leaved Toothwort
This wildflower is native to the United States and is well known for its different colored flowers. They can be white, pink, or red. It is mostly found in forests or on floodplains.
This plant is a very important food source for bumble bees and butterflies. The blooms of this plant are very fragrant, catching the attention of passers-by!
The roots and leaves of this plant are edible. Being in the Mustard family, this plant has a spicy taste that is similar to radish.
6. English Plantain
This is a wildflower that is found in the United States. It originates from Asia and Europe. This plant is a lawn weed that has long, flowering spikes. These spikes are home to very small white flowers.
English Plantain will usually be found growing in dry meadows and on grazing pastures. Flies and beetles pollinate this plant, and it also attracts songbirds who eat the seeds.
English Plantain is very adaptable, so it is very good at surviving. The plant will usually grow in tall stalks, but if it is in an area that is frequently mowed, the plant will grow low to the ground to avoid being cut.
7. Wild Strawberry
The Wild Strawberry is a beautiful white wildflower that is native to the United States. It can be found in lots of different habitats including meadows, river shores, and woodlands.
The plant can be identified by the five-petalled white flowers that are found on the plant. The strawberries on this plant are much smaller than the regular strawberry plant, but they are tasty and nutritious!
Both birds and mammals enjoy eating the fruits of the Wild Strawberry. The flower also attracts butterflies, bees, and other pollinators!
8. Hoary Alyssum
This wildflower is actually considered an invasive weed. You will often spot it growing on lawns, riverbanks, and roadsides. It can be fatal to horses who consume it, and it will compete for the nutrients of other plants.
This plant can be identified by its small white flowers found on branching stems. There are four petals on each flower, but the petals have deep notches on them.
It is recommended that you do not allow the Hoary Alyssum to grow in your garden. If it is allowed to spread, it can be very difficult to eradicate, and it causes more harm than good!
9. Wild Calla
The Wild Calla is a very unique wildflower in the United States. It is a beautiful flower, which is very eye-catching. However, the leaves of this plant are very poisonous to both humans and animals.
For this reason, you should not approach this plant if you catch sight of it in lakes, rivers, and swamps.
This unusual plant can be identified by its heart-shaped white leaves. Also, look out for the bright red berries that it produces in the summer.
10. White Clover
The White Clover wildflower is native to both Asia and Europe, but it is commonly found in the United States. It grows on roadsides, pastures, and in waste areas.
From Spring through Fall, the White Clover will bloom with lots of creamy white flowers. The leaves on this plant have three leaflets, but if you find one with four on it then you will have good luck!
11. Indian Hemp
Hemp is native to North America, but it is considered an aggressive weed. You will find it in meadows, rocky woods, and prairies. It also thrives on farms where it affects lots of different crops including corn and soybeans.
Indian Hemp is also toxic to animals and humans. The milky sap can cause blisters.
This plant can be identified by its reddish stems and bushy leaves. The white flowers will attract lots of moths and butterflies due to them being rich in nectar.
12. Cut-Leaved Teasel
This wildflower is very easy to identify. The plant has very tall stems that can be up to 7 feet tall! On this stem, you will find around 1500 tiny white and purple blooms! The bottom of this plant consists of some leaves that form a cup that collects water for the plant.
This wildflower grows in very harsh conditions and it is very hardy. This makes it fairly dangerous to ecosystems as it takes all the nutrients from other plants.
13. Hedge Bindweed
These wildflowers will bloom with white, pink, and red flowers. The flower forms the shape of a trumpet. The vines that these flowers are seen on will reach 10 feet tall! If you’re looking for vines with great purple flowers, read here.
These wildflowers will be found near beaches, in open woods, and on roadsides. They can climb fences, walls, and trees very quickly, making them quite invasive to your garden! This plant needs to be regularly pruned to prevent it from growing out of control.
14. Yarrow
Yarrow plants are made up of lots of little white flowers that grow in clusters. Their small, feathery leaves look like ferns!
These colorful wildflowers will attract wasps, beetles, bees, and moths to your garden. They can survive in harsh conditions.
15. Catnip
Catnip is a very well-known plant that has lots of different uses. It is well-known as a recreational stimulant for cats.
This wildflower is native to Europe, but it is naturalized in the United States. You will find this wildflower growing on roadsides, streams, and fields.
You can identify this plant by its small white spotted flowers and veiny leaves!
Butterflies, wasps, and bees will be drawn to the nectar-laden white flowers, and certain birds will eat the seeds it produces.
16. Large-Flowered Trillium
Trillium is well known for its eye-catching white blooms. It can be identified by the three-petalled flowers that grow on the top of the stalk. The flowers have ruffled edges and a pointed tip.
This wildflower can be found in rich, mixed upland forests. The large-flowered Trillium takes 7 years to bloom from seed, so it is better to grow the plant from a bulb.
17. Queen Anne’s Lace
Queen Anne’s Lace was introduced into North America by early European settlers. The white wildflower is an aggressive weed that grows in grasslands, meadows, and roadsides.
This plant can be identified by two-foot-tall umbels that contain small white flowers and hairy stems. The plant can adapt to most soils, and it is difficult to pull up from the ground.
18. Cow Parsnip
Cow Parsnip is a wildflower that is found in the United States that should not be eaten by humans! The sap that is produced by this plant can blister your skin and take a long time to heal!
This plant has flowers that occur in small, white clusters on stems that are tall and hairy. They are irresistible for birds and butterflies, and the roots provide an important food source.
19. Culver’s Root
The Culver’s root is found in open woods and moist meadows. It attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
Gardeners and pollinators love this wildflower because it looks very elegant. It is an ornamental plant with tall flowering spikes. The flowers come in white, pink, and purple. This plant can grow in moist soil and it thrives in partial or full sun.
20. Mayapple
This white wildflower is found in shaded areas and on riverbanks. Bees are attracted to the pollen in the flowers, and squirrels eat the seeds.
Mayapple produces a fruit that is lemon-shaped. However, when these fruits are unripe, they can be poisonous to humans and some animals.
21. Star Flower
The Star Flower has star-like petals with seven petals on each bloom. The starflowers have bright yellow anthers and smooth, lance-shaped leaves,
These white wildflowers can be found in wetland habitats and hardwood forests. The pollen from these wildflowers attracts bees and butterflies. Unfortunately, this plant is endangered in some areas.
22. Whorled Milkweed
Whorled Milkweed is a wildflower that consists of flat-topped clusters of around 20 small flowers. They are white blooms that are often found in fields, open woods, and roadsides.
This wildflower attracts wasps, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
23. White Snakeroot
This native wildflower is found in woods and shaded areas. It produces a fuzzy white flower that clusters on top of tall stems.
This wildflower is toxic to cattle, sheep, and horses. It is important to keep it away from grazing lands!
24. Garlic Mustard
The Garlic Mustard wildflower was introduced into the United States from Europe in the 1800s (This wildflower is also present in Kansas. Click here to know more). It is a highly invasive species, so it is important to keep on top of it. It can negatively impact lots of species of butterflies.
This plant can be identified by tall, spiky stems that bloom in the spring. It has hundreds of tiny, cross-shaped white flowers.
25. Oxeye Daisy
This is a beautiful white wildflower. The white petals surround the yellow centers of this plant. This wildflower is invasive in the US, as it is native to Europe. It colonizes ecosystems in the US.
Final Thoughts
This article has compiled a detailed list of the different types of white wildflowers that you can find in the United States. These flowers are all very beautiful and individual, bringing lots of beauty to the US!
Keep an eye out for some of these wonderful plants as you should now be able to confidently identify them!
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