Did you find a WHITE wildflower in the United States?
If so, I’m sure you’re wondering what type of wildflower you found! Luckily, you can use this guide to help you identify it. 🙂
Please be aware that today I’m ONLY listing and focusing on the most COMMON plants. There are so many species, varieties, and subspecies that it would be impossible to name them all. But if you want to dive deeper into all the white wildflowers in the United States, check out this field guide!
Here are 27 different WHITE wildflowers found in the United States!
#1. Common Chickweed
Also known as: Chickenwort, Winterweed, Starwort
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-11a
- Approximate Mature Size: 4-20 in (10-51 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring, Summer, Winter
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Common Chickweed is a white wildflower in the United States, but it’s considered an agricultural weed.
This plant is impressively resilient. For example, its seeds can survive in the ground for 50 years!
To spot Common Chickweed, look for small white capsule-shaped flowers in meadows, roadsides, wastelands, and open areas. Don’t allow it to spread in gardens because it will compete aggressively with your native plants for nutrients.
Luckily, this wildflower is not all bad news. Chickens love to eat Common Chickweed. In addition, its flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, moths, and songbirds. You can also eat the nutritious leaves and stems, which taste like spinach!
#2. Fleabane
Also known as: Daisy Fleabane, Dependable Daisy, Vergerettes
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-8a
- Life Cycle: Annual, Biennial, or Perennial
- Approximate Mature Size: 4-24 in (10-61 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Fleabane is a genus of at least 400 species, many of which are white wildflowers that can be found in the United States. They’re often a favorite of gardeners! It boasts thin, delicate petals attached to yellow disc centers.
Bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds love to visit Fleabane’s daisy-like flowers. They bloom enthusiastically from spring to fall in pastures, roadsides, dry mountains, and grasslands.
Fleabane is a breeze to care for in the garden because it’s drought-resistant, self-seeding, and not fussy with soil type. You can plant it as a groundcover or use it to soften the edges of hard landscapes. Fleabane flowers look good in mixed borders, rock, or coastal gardens.
#3. Cut-leaved Toothwort
Also known as: Crow’s Toes, Pepper Root, Purple-flowered Toothwort
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8a
- Approximate Mature Size: 6-15 in (15-38 cm) tall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade
Cut-leaved Toothwort is a native white wildflower in the United States.
It occurs in moist forests, floodplains, and rocky banks. It’s an important food source for butterflies, honey bees, and bumble bees.
When spring comes, Cut-leaved Toothwort paints the landscape with shades of white, pink, and red flowers for about two weeks. The blooms are fragrant, four-petalled, and bell-shaped. You might also recognize its green coarsely-toothed leaves.
You can eat the roots, leaves, and rhizomes of the Cut-leaved Toothwort! As a member of the Mustard family, this plant has a delicious spicy taste reminiscent of radish. Try mixing the chopped-up roots with vinegar to garnish your salad.
#4. Snow Trillium
Also known as: Dwarf White Trillium, Dwarf White Wakerobin, Snow Wakerobin
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-6a
- Approximate Mature Size: 6-12 in (15-30 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Late Winter or Early Spring
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Shade
Snow Trillium gets its name by blooming in early spring when snow is still on the ground. As a result, this beautiful white wildflower in the United States is a rare sight, even in its native habitat. It is a threatened species with a sparse population across much of its range.
You can easily recognize the solitary, three-petalled, funnel-shaped flower of the Snow Trillium. The best place to find this wildflower is in hardwood forests adjacent to rivers or streams.
Snow Trillium has a fascinating life cycle. After germination, it takes between two and twelve years for the plant to bloom! However, individual plants can survive indefinitely, often living for decades in the right conditions!
#5. Wild Strawberry
Also known as: Common Strawberry, Mountain Strawberry, Thick Leaved Wild Strawberry, Virginia Strawberry, Scarlet Strawberry
Growing Information
- Approximate Mature Size: 4-7 in (10-18 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
The commercial strawberries we enjoy today were hybridized from Wild Strawberry, a white wildflower that grows natively in the United States. You can find this plant in disturbed habitats, meadows, river shores, woodlands, and even roadsides.
White, five-petalled flowers carpet the ground in spring where Wild Strawberries grow. The fruit of Wild Strawberries is much smaller than the ones we cultivate in gardens, but they are just as nutritious and tasty.
Birds and mammals also enjoy eating the tart fruits of the Wild Strawberry. In addition, the flower blooms attract bees, butterflies, and insect pollinators. In a garden setting, you can use this plant as a ground cover or for erosion control.
#6. English Plantain
Also known as: Ribwort Plantain, Lanceleaf Indianwheat, Ribgrass
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9a
- Approximate Mature Size: 4-20 in (10-51 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Fall
The English Plantain is an introduced white wildflower in the United States, originally native to Europe and Asia.
It’s one of the most recognizable lawn weeds with its long, hairy, flowering spikes. These spikes contain small and inconspicuous white flowers.
You can spot English Plantain growing in disturbed habitats, dry meadows, grazing pastures, and roadsides. Its flowers are pollinated by flies and beetles, while songbirds eat their seeds.
Interestingly, English Plantain can adapt to different conditions depending on how humans try to eradicate it! For example, this plant naturally grows in tall stalks, but if the area where it grows is frequently mowed, it will grow low to the ground to avoid being cut.
#7. Hoary Alyssum
Also known as: False Hoary Madwort, Hoary Berteroa, Hoary Alison
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3b-7
- Approximate Mature Size: 12-24 in (30-61 cm) tall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Hoary Alyssum is an invasive weed that you might find growing in pastures, riverbanks, roadsides, and lawns. Not only does it compete with native plants, but it can also be fatal to horses that eat it.
To identify this white wildflower in the United States, look for small white flowers on branching stems.
Each petal is deeply notched, so it might look like there are eight petals instead of four on every flower. The green leaves are covered with gray hairs.
Although bees, wasps, and other insects will eat Hoary Alyssum pollen, you’re better off killing this weed before it takes over your property. It can survive cold winters and hot summers. In addition, it thrives in poor soils and spreads prolifically, making it incredibly difficult to eradicate.
#8. Wild Calla
Also known as: Water Arum, Water-dragon, Swamp Lily, Marsh Calla
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-6a
- Approximate Mature Size: 6-16 in (15-41 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Summer
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade
The Wild Calla is unique among white wildflowers in the United States.
It’s the only species in its genus and is a beautiful sight. A striking yellow spike known as the spadix protrudes from its oval spathe (flower cup).
Despite its beauty, the leaves of the Wild Calla are highly poisonous for both humans and animals. Therefore, it’s best to leave this plant alone if you encounter it in its native habitat of rivers, lakes, or swamps.
This unusual aquatic plant loves the cold and is pollinated by flies instead of bees or butterflies. However, you can identify it easily if you look for heart-shaped leaves and a cluster of bright red berries in the summer.
#9. White Clover
Also known as: Dutch Clover, Shamrock, Honeysuckle Grass
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-10a
- Approximate Mature Size: 4-6 in (10-15 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
White Clover is native to Europe and Asia, but this white wildflower is considered a naturalized species in the United States. It grows so well that it can take over lawns, roadsides, pastures, and waste areas. Fortunately, however, White Clover doesn’t usually compete with native vegetation!
From spring to fall, White Clover blooms with an abundance of creamy white, rounded flowers. You might be familiar with its green leaves, which typically have three leaflets. But if you find one with four, you can consider yourself lucky! 🙂
Interestingly, all parts of the White Clover are edible. You can use the dried flowers to make tea or the young leaves in a salad. You can also grind the flowers and seed pods to be sprinkled as a seasoning on cooked food. It has a subtle vanilla-like flavor.
#10. Indian Hemp
Also known as: Dogbane, Hemp Dogbane, Prairie Dogbane, Amy Root, Rheumatism Root, Wild Cotton
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3b-11
- Approximate Mature Size: 24-60 in (61-152 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Summer
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Despite being native to North America, this white wildflower is considered an aggressive weed in the United States.
You’ll likely find it in dry, rocky woods, meadows, and prairies. Unfortunately, it also thrives on farms where it’s known to reduce the yield of corn, soybeans, and other crops.
In addition to its invasive nature, all parts of Indian Hemp are highly toxic to humans, dogs, and livestock. Avoid touching the milky sap, which can cause blisters on your skin. Its stiff, reddish stems and bushy lance-shaped leaves will help you identify this plant.
The small white flowers are rich with nectar, so don’t be surprised to see lots of butterflies and moths where Indian Hemp grows.
#11. White Trout Lily
Also known as: White Fawnlily, White Dog’s-tooth Violet, Yellow Snowdrop, Adder’s Tongue
Growing Information
- Approximate Mature Size: 6-12 in (15-30 cm) tall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Sun
The elusive beauty of a White Trout Lily flower lasts for only two weeks in mid-spring. This plant forms impressively large colonies on forest floors, serving as nutrient pools for the soil. However, only a few mature plants will bloom at a time.
Look for White Trout Lily in deciduous woodlands where it’s native. It blooms into a single white flower with bright yellow anthers or pollen fronds. Mature plants have two dark green leaves with mottled purple blotches.
If you want to attract bees, butterflies, and skippers to your garden, you can purchase White Trout Lily plants from your local nursery. Seeds, on the other hand, will take about four years to bloom. This plant prefers partial shade and deep, loamy soils.
#12. Cut-leaved Teasel
Also known as: Fuller’s Teasel, Common Teasel, Wild Teasel, Cutleaf Teasel
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a, 10a
- Approximate Mature Size: 72-96 in (183-244 cm) tall
It’s easy to identify this white wildflower in the United States.
On top of prickly, seven-foot-tall stems are solitary, egg-shaped flowering heads. Each head has about 1,500 tiny white and purple blooms. Near the base of the plant, there are deeply-cut leaves that form a cup to collect water.
Cut-leaved Teasel is an invasive weed introduced in the 1700s from Europe. Today, you can find it growing readily on roadsides, disturbed areas, prairies, savannas, and sedge meadows.
Cut-leaved Teasel is dangerous to native ecosystems because it’s exceedingly hardy and grows in tough conditions. Each plant can produce up to 2,000 seeds that survive in the ground for two years or longer. Therefore, it’s best to dig out or mow down Cut-leaved Teasel when you spot it growing within your property.
#13. Hedge Bindweed
Also known as: Hedgebell, Bugle Vine, Rutland Beauty, Heavenly Trumpets
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9a
- Approximate Mature Size: 84-156 in (213-396 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Hedge Bindweed blooms in the summer with white, pink, or red trumpet-shaped flowers. It creates vines along hedges, reaching upwards of 10 feet tall. In the wild, you can spot this white wildflower in the United States near coastal beaches, marshes, open woods, and roadsides.
Hedge Bindweed can quickly become invasive to your garden by climbing fences, trellises, walls, and trees. It twines itself around neighboring plants or sprawls freely along the ground. Remember to prune it regularly before its growth gets out of hand.
Some subspecies of the Hedge Bindweed from Europe and Asia are invasive. If you want to grow this plant in your garden, look for North American natives such as the subspecies Americana, angulata, and appalachiana.
#14. Yarrow
Also known as: Bloodwort, Carpenter’s Weed, Devil’s Nettle
Growing Information
- Approximate Mature Size: 24-36 in (61-91 cm) tall
Planting Yarrow in your garden will reward you with abundant flowers that grow in clusters. They have small feathery leaves that look like ferns, and their scent might remind you of chrysanthemums (mums).
Some Yarrow plants were introduced from Europe in colonial times. However, there are many native subspecies of this white wildflower in the United States. Together, they form colorful hybrids that will attract bees, wasps, beetles, moths, and butterflies to your garden.
Yarrow plants naturally occur in disturbed areas, grasslands, open forests, and roadsides. They can tolerate drought and survive in less than perfect conditions.
#15. Catnip
Also known as: Catswort, Catmint, Field Balm
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9a
- Approximate Mature Size: 24-36 in (61-91 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Catnip is a famous plant with a long history of medicinal and culinary uses. Of course, you might know of Catnip as a recreational stimulant for cats. As a member of the Mint family, it has aromatic leaves that can repel mosquitoes, cockroaches, and termites.
Catnip is native to Europe and Asia, but this white wildflower is naturalized in the United States.
You can find it growing on roadsides, streams, waste grounds, dry banks, and fields. The triangular, veiny leaves and the small white or purple spotted flowers will help you recognize this plant.
Bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, and many pollinators love the nectar-laden flowers of Catnip. In addition, you can expect goldfinches and other birds to eat the seeds in the fall. Catnip grows best in full sun and well-drained soils.
#16. Large-flowered Trillium
Also known as: White Trillium, Wood Lily, Large-flowered Trillium
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8a
- Approximate Mature Size: 12-24 in (30-61 cm) tall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Shade
Large-flowered Trillium is one of the most recognizable white wildflowers in the United States.
The fragrant white blooms are pretty to look at and attract moths, bees, and other pollinators to your area.
Gardeners know the Large-flowered Trillium for its solitary, three-petalled flower growing atop a single stalk. With ruffled edges and a pointed tip, the waxy white petals later fade to pink. You can find it naturally growing in rich, mixed upland forests.
True to its name, Large-flowered Trillium is the largest, showiest, and perhaps the most popular species in its genus. Unfortunately, it takes seven years for this wildflower to bloom from seed, so choose bulbs or fully grown plants to purchase from nurseries.
#17. Queen Anne’s Lace
Also known as: Wild Carrot, Bird’s Nest, Bishop’s Lace
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-11a
- Life Cycle: Annual or Biennial
- Approximate Mature Size: 12-48 in (30-122 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Summer to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Queen Anne’s Lace was introduced to North America by early European settlers. This white wildflower is an aggressive weed in many areas, invading grasslands, meadows, roadsides, and degraded prairies.
Interestingly, this wildflower is the ancestor of domesticated carrots that we cultivate and eat. Also known as the Wild Carrot, it is edible when young, but the roots quickly become woody and fibrous as they age.
To identify this plant, look for two-foot-tall umbels with small white flowers and hairy stems. Queen Anne’s Lace adapts to most soils and can be difficult to pull up from the ground. It produces and spreads seeds prolifically, so it’s best to prevent it from taking root in your planned garden.
#18. Cow Parsnip
Also known as: American Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Satan Celery, Indian Celery, Indian Rhubarb
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4b-10a
- Life Cycle: Biennial or Perennial
- Approximate Mature Size: 47-94 in (119-239 cm) tall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Cow Parsnip is a relative of the cultivated parsnip. However, this white wildflower in the United States is not something you should eat. Be exceeding careful when gardening near this plant! The sap released from its broken leaves can cause blisters on your skin that take months to heal.
Typical of members of the carrot family, Cow Parsnip’s flowers occur in small, white clusters called umbels. The stems are tall and hairy, while the leaves are very large and divided into three lobes. Look for this plant in meadows, streamsides, and moist areas.
Cow Parnsip’s blooms are irresistible for birds and butterflies. The roots are also an important food source for wild animals. Bears are especially fond of them, so be careful of growing this plant in your backyard.
#19. Culver’s Root
Also known as: Culver’s Physic, Bowman’s Root, Black Root
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8a
- Approximate Mature Size: 48-84 in (122-213 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Summer
Nearly every pollinator is attracted to this white wildflower in the United States.
It grows in open woods, moist meadows, and prairies. Bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and flies are all known to visit its blooms.
It’s no surprise that the beautiful Culver’s Root is a favorite of gardeners and pollinators alike. This popular ornamental plant has tall flowering spikes in white, pink, and purple shades. The vertical clumping shape reminds me of an elegant candelabra!
With its unique shape, Culver’s Root adds vertical interest to borders, rain gardens, or wild gardens. You can grow it in moist, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. However, it usually takes several years to establish itself in the garden.
#20. Star Flower
Also known as: Mayflower, Star-chickweed, Star-of-Bethlehem
Growing Information
- Approximate Mature Size: 6-12 in (15-30 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Late Spring to Early Summer
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Shade
The Star Flower earned its common name for its star-like arrangement of petals.
There are typically seven petals on each bloom. Starflowers have bright yellow anthers, smooth lance-shaped leaves, and tall stalks.
You can find these white wildflowers in the United States in hardwood forests and wetland habitats. Its pollen attracts bees and flies, while the seeds attract chipmunks.
Unfortunately, Starflower is listed as endangered in some areas. However, you can help preserve the species by purchasing transplants from local nurseries. This plant requires no maintenance once established.
#21. Mayapple
Also known as: Hog Apple, Wild Mandrake, Ground Lemon
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8a
- Approximate Mature Size: 12-24 in (30-61 cm) tall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Shade
Look for this solitary white wildflower in the United States growing in mixed deciduous forest, shaded fields, and riverbanks. Various species of bees are attracted to the flowers, and squirrels and box turtles eat the seeds.
Despite its name, Mayapple produces a large, fleshy, lemon-shaped fruit. The fruit typically appears in May, which better describes the common name of this plant.
Use caution around the Mayapple, especially if you have pets or livestock. The unripe fruits, leaves, and roots are poisonous to humans, cats, dogs, and horses.
#22. Whorled Milkweed
Also known as: Eastern Whorled Milkweed, Horsetail Milkweed
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9a
- Approximate Mature Size: 12-36 in (30-91 cm) tall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Whorled Milkweed is a single-stemmed perennial wildflower with flat-topped clusters of 7-20 small flowers. The fragrant white blooms are common in dry prairies, open woods, fields, and roadsides.
If you find this native white wildflower in the United States, you’re likely to also see hummingbirds, bees, wasps, butterflies, flies, skippers, and beetles. In addition, it’s an especially important food source for Monarch butterflies and their caterpillars.
Although Whorled Milkweed spreads quickly through underground rhizomes, it’s not considered invasive, so it’s a perfect choice for your garden! It stands well against drought, easily self-seeds, and tolerates most soil types.
#23. White Snakeroot
Also known as: Richweed, White Sanicle
Growing Information
- Approximate Mature Size: 36-60 in (91-152 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Summer to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Sun
This native white wildflower in the United States can be found in woods, brush thickets, and shaded areas with open ground. White Snakeroot blooms with fuzzy white flowers clustered on top of tall stems from midsummer to the first frost.
This wildflower is most notable for its toxicity to cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Unfortunately, the meat and milk of livestock that eat this plant also become poisoned. In addition, humans can die from this toxin, so it’s important to keep White Snakeroot away from grazing lands!
Bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, and flies are attracted to White Snakeroot. After the long blooming season, its flowers give way to fluffy white seed heads blown away by the wind.
#24. Oxeye Daisy
Also known as: Dog Daisy, Marguerite, White Weed
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8a
- Approximate Mature Size: 12-24 in (30-61 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Spring to Summer
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Oxeye Daisy has beautiful white petals surrounding yellow disc-shaped centers. Unfortunately, this wildflower is from Europe and is an invasive species in the United States. Its seeds and underground rhizomes spread aggressively, colonizing native ecosystems. Today, you can find it growing in grassy fields, meadows, disturbed sites, and open woodlands.
Although the plant is self-fertilizing, bees, flies, beetles, moths, and butterflies help pollinate the Oxeye Daisy.
#25. Garlic Mustard
Also known as: Garlic Root, Hedge Garlic, Mustard Root
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 6b-8a
- Approximate Mature Size: 12-39 in (30-99 cm) tall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Shade
Garlic Mustard was introduced from Europe in the 1800s. This white wildflower in the United States is now a highly invasive species that threaten native plants.
It’s easy to recognize Garlic Mustard’s clumps of wrinkled leaves that smell like garlic when you crush them. Its tall spiky stems bloom in spring with hundreds of tiny, cross-shaped white flowers.
You will find Garlic Mustard plants along margins of hedges, forest habitats, floodplains, and roadsides. Unfortunately, many native butterfly species are negatively impacted when Garlic Mustard displaces native Toothwort plants.
#26. Boneset
Also known as: Feverwort, Thoroughwort, Sweating-plant
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8a
- Approximate Mature Size: 48-72 in (122-183 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Summer to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Boneset has a cluster of small, fuzzy white flowers above its dense foliage. It has a long blooming season, with flowers appearing continuously from midsummer through fall.
It earned its common names “Feverwort” and “Sweating-plant” from its traditional use of inducing heavy sweating to break a fever. However, despite this plant’s popularity in traditional medicine, it is listed in the Poisonous Plants Database of the US Food and Drug Administration. Therefore, be cautious with holistic medicine products that use Boneset!
This white wildflower is an essential nectar source for many butterfly species in the United States It’s mostly found in low, wet areas such as floodplain forests, marshes, bogs, seeps, and edges of rivers.
#27. Pokeweed
Also known as: American Pokeweed, Great Pokeweed, Poke Sallet, Pokeberry, Pigeonberry, Dragonberry, Inkberry, Red Ink Plant, Garnet, Scoke
Growing Information
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8a
- Approximate Mature Size: 96-120 in (244-305 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Summer to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Pokeweed is a tall, branching plant with long pinkish racemes (flower stalks) holding small white flowers. Despite its unique and attractive look, Pokeweed is a troublesome weed that self-seeds easily and spreads aggressively in the garden.
Think twice before touching this plant if you come across it in pastures, woodland openings, and wastelands. Its poisonous berries and roots can cause vomiting, a burning sensation in the mouth, respiratory failure, and even death in extreme cases.
Although Pokeweed is poisonous to humans, dogs, and livestock, birds are somehow unaffected by it. Many species, including the Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, and Cedar Waxwing, love to eat the berries and seeds.
Do you want to learn about ALL the wildflowers in the United States? Check out this field guide!
Which of these white wildflowers have you seen before in the United States?
Leave a comment below!
