Central Florida Wildflower Field Guide
Identify Wild Flowers in Central Florida
Use this page to quickly identify the name of wildflowers found hiking in central Florida for later research and to doublecheck apps such as PlantSnap. Images of wildflowers are taken while hiking in the counties of Alachua, Marion, and Putnam near Palatka, Ocala, Hawthorne, and Gainesville. Flowers are grouped by color of petals.
Corrections and additions: contact Bryan Lindenberger (bryan@bryanberg.net)
Blue and Purple Wildflowers
Pink and Red Wildflowers
Yellow and Orange Wildflowers
White Wildflowers
Blue and Purple Wildflowers
American Bluehearts – Buchnera americana, 5 heart-shaped petals, violet to blue
Blue Curls – Trichostema dichotomum, mint family, blue, long curled stamen
Carolina Petunia – Ruellia caroliniensis, 5 blue or violet petals, white stamen
Florida Paintbrush – Carphephorus corymbosus, purple clusters with long purple stamens
Giant Ironweed – Vernonia-gigantea, tall, spindly, purple clusters
Meadow Beauty – Rhexia-virginica, four veined purple petals, long yellow stamen
Pickerelweed – Pontederi cordata, long, purple oblong clusters in marsh and swamp
Powderpuff – Mimosa strigillosa, pink to lavender, pompom shape
Southern Blue Flag Iris, Swamp, Iris, Virginia Iris – Iris-virginica, showy, marsh flower, 3 blue or purple petals, yellow or orange signal
Spurred Butterfly Pea – Centrosema-virginianum, butterfly shape bloom on vine
Tievine Morning Glory – Ipomoea cordatotriloba, purple bloom on vine, star pattern
Water Hyacinth – Eichhornia-crassipes, aquatic, broad leaf, purple flower with orange splotch
Pink and Red Wildflowers
Coral Bean – Erythrina herbacea, tall stem, coral or pink bean shaped flowers, attracts hummingbirds
Fetterbush – Lyonia lucida, bell-shaped flowers on evergreen shrub
Marsh Pink – Sabatia grandiflora, small, five petal flower with yellow center and red outline
Red Sorrel, Sheep’s Sorrel – Rumex acetosella, tall red stem, many small flowers, open sun
Sweet Pea – Lathyrus-odoratus, butterfly or popcorn shaped, pink, small
Tropical-Sage – Salvia coccinea, tall stem, small flowers, red petals and long red stamen
Trumpet Creeper – Campsis radicans, long, horn shaped, five red petals on vine
Wild Azalea – Rhododendron canescens, five pink or white petals and very long stamen on bush
White Wildflowers
Buttonbush – Cephalanthus occidentalis, globular white flower with long stamen like spikes on bush
Elderberry – Sambucus nigra, tiny white flower clusters on bush
Frog Fruit – Phyla nodiflora, tiny, five petal flowers around a purple center
Lanceleaf Arrowhead -Sagittaria latifolia, aquatic, three white leaves, yellow center, long, pointed leaf
Neches River Rosemallow – Hibiscus dasycalyx, large white flower with overlapping petals and purple center, long stamen
Fineleaf Whiteop Sedge – Rhynchospora colorata, tiny white flower with green tips in grass
Summer Farewell – Dalea pinnata, small white flower with long white stamen, red buds
Yellow and Orange Wildflowers
American Lotus – Nelumbo lutea, pale yellow, overlapping petals with bright yellow center in water
Bushy Seaside Oxeye – Borrichia frutescens, many yellow petals, yellow center, like a small daisy
Carter’s Flax – Linum-carteri, tiny yellow flower with five overlapping petals, green star at center
Florida Tickseed – Coreopsis floridana, small, long stem, many yellow petals of different lengths, brown center
Orange Milkwort – Polygala lutea, small, low to ground, orange cylinder of petals
Partridge Pea – Chamaecrista fasciculata, yellow or orange petals with long, curled stamen and dark spots, pea pod
Chapman’s Sensitive Plant – Senna mexicana, five yellow petals, long pink or red stamen in clusters
Sensitive Pea – Chamaecrista nictitans, four or five yellow petals, long stamen, red center, fern-like leaf
Wingleaf Primrose Willow – Ludwigia decurrens, five veined yellow petals may be heart shaped and a white center ovule
Yellow Carolina Jasmine -Gelsemium -sempervirens, vine in trees, five yellow petals, yellow center, and long stamen
