Common Spring Wildflowers of Woods and Prairies

Spring is a welcome season for Missourians. Many birds return to brighten our mornings with their songs and serviceberry trees splash the still-drab woods with their colorful blooms. For many of us, the first spring wildflowers peeking up through last year's discarded leaves are a most welcome sight.

The earliest spring wildflowers, such as harbinger-of-spring, may appear as early as late February if the weather has been warm, though they may not come up until April after a late winter. For all their daintiness spring wildflowers are tough, often surviving late frosts and snowfalls with few apparent ill effects.

This brochure is an introduction to a few of the more common spring wildflowers. The flowers are divided into two groups: those found primarily in woods, and those found in more open areas such as prairies and glades. All bloom sometime between March and May, depending on the winter. Generally they will bloom the earliest in the south and one to two weeks later in the north. All of these wildflowers are found throughout most of the state, and some are known from every county. Happy hunting.

Woodland Wildflowers

The earliest spring wildflowers to appear grow in open woods, especially on south and wet-facing slopes warmed by the sun. Many of these will grow, bloom, and set seed before the trees leaf out. Look for spring beauty, dog tooth violet, toothwort, pussy's toes, Dutchman's britches and May apples in these places. Later in the season rich, moist, east and north-facing slopes provide habitat for a variety of wildflowers including wild ginger, wake robin, bloodroot, Jack-in-the-pulpit and many others.

Dwarf Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne)

to 18 inches
April-June
Dry or moist woods throughout Missouri.

Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

to 10 inches
late February-May
Woods, open areas and sometimes lawns. In every county.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

6-8 inches
March-April
Moist woods throughout Missouri. Name comes from red sap in roots.

Dog-tooth Violet, Trout Lily (Erytgronium albidum)

4-7 inches
March-April
Throughout Missouri.

Dutchman's Britches (Dicentra cucullaria)

5-9 inches
March-May
Throughout Missouri.

Wake Robin (Trillium recurvatum (above)T. sessile (below))

image of wake robin

8-12 inches
April-May
Petals may be maroon or greenish-yellow.

Pussy's Toes

Antennaria plantaginifolia

4-8 inches
April-June
Prairies and rocky, open woods throughout Missouri. Male and female flowers on different plants.

Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans)

to 15 inches
April-June
Moist woods, statewide.

Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

12-24 inches
March-April
Moist woods, especially along streams. Scattered in Missouri.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema atrorubens)

to 30 inches
April-June
In moist woods throughout the state.

Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata)

6-12 inches
March-May
Moist or dry open woods throughout Missouri.

May Apple (Podophyllum peltatum)

to 18 inches
March-May
Moist or dry open woods. In every county.

Prairie Wildflowers

Wildflowers of the prairie appear in late March or April--slightly later than those of the woods. Most of these wildflowers can be seen throughout Missouri. Look for them in rocky, open woods and roadsides as well as on prairies. Some of the most spectacular displays occur on prairies that are hayed every summer. (This weakens the grasses allowing the wildflowers to take over.) On the prairies, the spring wildflower display is the beginning of a show that will last well into fall.