11 Types Of Pink Wildflowers Found In The United States

If you’ve recently been traversing around the US, then you’ll know that one of the most amazing things about the country is the beautiful wildlife.

There are so many amazing natural objects to see in the region, some of the most spectacular being the immense amounts of wildflowers growing in abundance. 

11 Types Of Pink Wildflowers Found In The United States

There are so many different wildflowers growing all over the US, however, that it can be incredibly difficult to try and identify them all.

Some of the most popular wildflower colors in the region are made up of pink flowers, and there are an abundance of these alone. So many in fact, that it’s impossible to list each of the different species, as there are hundreds upon hundreds. 

Below, however, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the most common and ubiquitous pink flowers in the US that you’re likely to come across.

We hope that this serves as a handy guide that you can refer back to in future, if you ever need any help with the identification process. 

To find out more, simply keep reading below, as we take a closer look. 

1. Large Beardtongue 

If you’ve come across these flowers before, then chances are that you’ll scoff at their namesake, as they appear anything but large. In fact, the stems themselves are very short in terms of height, but this isn’t the reason why they’re called ‘Large’.

The reason why they’re deemed to be large is because of the flower petals themselves, which appear to encompass and crowd the entire top portion of the stem. 

They tend to be a very pale, pastel pink in terms of color, and have a perennial life cycle, which means that they bloom in spring, and last all the way through the summer months.

They are considered to be somewhat rare in certain portions of the United States, and they’re also native to America alone. 

They’re known for being particularly good for surrounding wildlife, and attract a number of different species of bees, and hummingbirds. 

2. Sweet Joe Pyeweed 

If you’ve come across these wildflowers before, then you may be surprised to find them here on our list of pink flowers. This is because whilst they’re most often a rich pink in terms of color, they can also boast a purplish hue.

Like many of the flowers on our list, they have a perennial life cycle, which means that you’ll most likely see Sweet Joe Pyeweed during the spring and summer months. 

The flowers themselves are very large, and the stems themselves can grow until they’re quite tall. They tend to have a very bushy appearance, and are very dense and hardy. 

They’re actually considered to be a popular choice for novice gardeners to plant in their own space, because they’re so incredibly easy to take care of.

People who are native to the region adore Sweet Joe Pyeweed, but not because of its appearance, but because of the way it smells. 

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of smelling Sweet Joe Pyeweed before, then you’ll know that it has an incredibly fragrant scent, that reminds people very much of vanilla. 

This also means that this wildflower is great at attracting bees and other wildlife, making it great for the environment. 

3. Spring Beauty 

If you’ve come across this flower before, then you’ll already know why it’s called Spring Beauty (This wildflower is also present in Vermont. Find out more about it.). It’s one of the most delicate wildflowers out there, and boasts small, pinkish petals that often have a whitish hue.

They grow all over the USA, typically in grassy regions, and can often be seen covering entire patches of ground. 

Despite their small size, they’re actually a fantastic source of nectar for bees too, who love feeding on these star shaped flowers. 

4. Wild Mint 

Some of you might be surprised to see wild mint here on our list, because after all, isn’t mint supposed to be green? Well, in actual fact, wild mint can come in a number of different colors, with one of the most common being pink.

You will find this flower blooming during the latter portion of spring, where it lasts all throughout the summer months, and likes to grow in damp areas. 

If you’ve ever visited a lake or a stream in America, then you might have come across this incredibly fragrant wildflower.

The leaves tend to be the most fragrant when they’re at the end of their life cycle, so if you come across a bundle of these growing in late summer, be sure to smell them. 

In order to spot wild mint, just look out for flowers growing in the aforementioned locations that look like lavender in terms of appearance. 

5. Lady’s Slipper

If you’ve seen these flowers before on your travels, then you’ll now be able to understand why they’re called a ‘Lady’s Slipper’. The buds grow in a very usual way, and make them look like shoes that have little heels at the back.

The Lady’s slipper can appear in a few different colors, but chances are that if you’ve come across them, it’s the pink variety that you saw. 

The flowers themselves are incredibly difficult to grow from seed. They tend to sprout up as late as two years after they’re initially planted, which means that you’ll need to exercise a lot of patience. 

They have dark pink veins that run throughout the buds, and give them their distinctive hue. They have a perennial life cycle, and so you’ll find these growing anytime from early spring to late summer. 

It has an incredibly long stalk, so the flower itself is very noticeable as it pokes out on the top. We wouldn’t recommend trying to transport this flower to your own garden, as it’s very delicate and likely won’t survive.  

6. Deptford Pink 

If you’ve come across this flower, then you’ll notice that it has a highly distinctive appearance. It’s typically a rich pink in terms of color, but has pink spots that cover the petals.

You might not even notice these at first until you take a closer look, because the petals themselves are so small. They like some partial shade in order to grow, and this means that you can sport this flower as late as Autumn. 

It’s native to Europe, but is also incredibly common in the US. You’ll likely come across this flower at some point or another, as it’s highly adept at covering occupied spaces, such as roadsides, and even your front garden. 

They grow incredibly quickly, so if you encounter these flowers, they’ll be growing in large bundles. 

The plant is self pollinating, which means that although lots of different bees and insects like gathering their pollen from this flower, it doesn’t depend on them in order to survive, as it’s completely self sufficient. 

7. Common Milkweed 

As the name suggests, this is a type of wildflower that you’ll see commonly all across the US. It tends to reach full bloom during the summertime, and this is when the wildflower is at its most fragrant too.

It emits a delicious odor, so be sure to smell these flowers if you get the chance. 

One of the most interesting things about the Common Milkweed, is that it’s one of the most popular pollinating flowers for insects. You might be surprised to learn that this flower actually attracts around 500 different species of insects in total. 

You will typically find the common milkweed growing in large open fields, where it can grow in abundance.

Because it has such a pleasant odor, many people are tempted to plant Common Milkweed seeds in their own garden, but this isn’t such a great idea. 

That’s because the wildflower itself is quite aggressive, and if you have other items growing in your garden, it will very likely wipe them out. If you must plant it in your garden, make sure that it’s out of the way of other items. 

8. Pink Fuzzy Bean 

This delightful little flower has an incredibly distinctive appearance, that as the name suggests, looks very much like a bean.

If you’re native to the US, you’ll find that this flower is becoming less and less common, and it is threatened by extinction in some areas. 

It likes to grow in areas that are a little bit damper than usual, so if you want to locate this little flower, we’d recommend visiting forest laden areas. 

If you’ve come across this flower before, then you might be wondering why it’s classified as a ‘Pink Fuzzy Bean’, as it often looks like more of an orange color.

The reason why is because the petals of this plant often change as the summer months move on, and will go from being a rich pink, to a very pale orange. 

9. Bashful Trillium 

This pink flower grows on a very tall stem, with a burst of leaves emerging from the top, where it sits in the center. You will often find these plants in forests, and when they first grow, they tend to be a very pale, pastel pink.

As they get older, however, they transform into a dark, hot pink that is far more noticeable. 

Because they like to grow in very shaded areas, that’s why they have their namesake, ‘Bashful’. You might not notice these at first because they like to remain hidden in cool areas. 

If you want to grow these plants in your garden, make sure that you’re purchasing seeds, instead of trying to transport them. They don’t do very well with transportation, and need to be protected.

The reason being because these plants take such a long time to bloom. After the seeds have taken root, they can actually take a total of 5 years to bloom into the flowers that we see here. 

10. Showy Evening Primrose

The Showy Evening Primrose has its name because it grows so ubiquitously in areas all over the US. It covers entire fields, and is incredibly striking to look at because of the large, pink petals. 

As you can imagine, because it’s so adept at growing quickly in large spaces, you might want to avoid planting this one in your garden, in order to avoid any hassle later down the road. 

If you have the opportunity, however, be sure to smell this wildflower, as it has an incredibly fragrant scent. It’s often used in oils and various beauty products. 

11. Everlasting Pea 

The Everlasting Pea can vary a little in terms of color, and if you’ve come across this flower before, it can range from  being incredibly pink, to a deep purplish color.

It’s incredibly hardy, and despite its beautiful appearance, it is considered to be a pest in some areas of the US. This is because it grows and spreads out so quickly, and can take over many neighboring flowers in the process. 

Instead of destroying the Everlasting Pea if it’s growing on your property, we’d recommend transplanting it to another area, simply because it’s so beneficial to the surrounding wildlife. 

Final Thoughts 

To sum up, there are such a wide variety of pink wildflowers in the US, that it would be impossible to name them all.

Above, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most prevalent, in order to help you on your identification journey. Refer back to this guide whenever you need to. 

Diane Peirce
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