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 purple 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

Aster cordifolius – blue wood aster, small wildflower with elongated, oval blue petals and purple or yellow center
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 – a beauty to find in spring and summer

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

Coastal Plain Honeycombhead – Balduina angustifolia, yellow flower with honeycomb center, long stem and spindly leaves

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