Best Native Wildflowers to Grow in Washington DC
Washington DC sits in USDA Hardiness Zone 7. These 21 native wildflower varieties are suited to Washington DC's 210-day growing season with last frost around April 1 and first frost around October 30.
Varieties
21
for Washington DC
USDA Zone
7
210-day season
Beginner
12
easy to grow
Heirloom
14
heritage varieties
Washington DC in USDA Zone 7
Washington DC is primarily in Zone 7. Varieties that thrive in this zone will typically grow well across the state, though local microclimates vary.
When to Plant Native Wildflowers in Washington DC
Growing Native Wildflowers in Washington DC
Zone 7 offers one of the most generous growing windows for native wildflowers, with an impressive 210-day season stretching from April through late October. This extended period allows heat-loving species like Bee Balm and Purple Coneflower to fully mature while still providing enough cool weather for spring bloomers like Wild Columbine and Wild Blue Phlox. The moderate winter temperatures mean most perennial wildflowers will reliably overwinter without protection, making this zone ideal for establishing long-term wildflower meadows and naturalized gardens.
When selecting varieties for Zone 7, look for natives that can handle both the occasional late-season heat waves and the variable spring weather that characterizes this zone. The best performers here are adaptable species that don't mind temperature swings – varieties like Black-Eyed Susan and Lanceleaf Coreopsis thrive in these conditions. Many gardeners are surprised to learn that some traditionally northern species like Wild Lupine also do beautifully here, as long as they're planted early enough to establish before summer heat arrives. The key is choosing a mix of early, mid, and late-season bloomers to create continuous color throughout your extended growing season.
Variety Comparison
| Variety ↑ | Days | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Bee Balm | 300-365 | Easy to moderate |
| Black-Eyed Susan | 100-120 | Very easy |
| Blanket Flower | Not applicable | Easy |
| Butterfly Weed | 365 | Easy |
| California Poppy | 55-60 | Easy |
| Cardinal Flower | N/A | Easy |
| Coral Bells | N/A | Easy |
| Lanceleaf Coreopsis | N/A | Very easy |
| New England Aster | 365-450 | Easy to moderate |
| Partridge Pea | — | Easy |
| Prairie Blazingstar | Not applicable | Easy |
| Purple Coneflower | 300-365 | Easy |
| Spiderwort | — | Easy |
| Sweet Alyssum | 50-60 | Very easy |
| Wild Bergamot | N/A | Easy |
| Wild Blue Indigo | — | Easy |
| Wild Blue Lupine | — | Moderate |
| Wild Blue Phlox | — | Easy to moderate |
| Wild Columbine | N/A | Moderate |
| Wild Indigo | Not applicable | Easy |
| Wild Lupine | N/A | Moderate |
Variety Details
Bee Balm
Semidouble blooms in shades of lavender, salmon, magenta, and pale to bright pinks are useful as cut and edible flowers. Additionally, monarda attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden. Also known as beebalm, Oswego tea, and scarlet beebalm. Medicinal: Aerial parts in infusions to improve digestion. Leaves and blooms contain thymol-related antibiotic-antiseptic compounds. Perennial in Zones 4-9. Edible Flowers: Add petals to salads, sprinkle over mild fish, use in fruit salads, or to garnish desserts and drinks. Flavor is minty and spicy.
Black-Eyed Susan
Compact plants are outstanding in the garden or in large containers. Combine Cherry Brandy's 3-4" flowers with rudbeckia of other colors, or do a dramatic mass planting for red blooms all summer. Also known as blackeyed Susan and gloriosa daisy. Tender perennial in Zones 9-10.
Blanket Flower
A cheerful and resilient native wildflower that blooms from early summer until frost with vibrant daisy-like flowers in shades of red, orange, and yellow. Perfect for xeriscaping and low-maintenance gardens, this drought-tolerant perennial attracts butterflies and beneficial insects while requiring minimal care once established.
Butterfly Weed
Attracts butterflies and bees. Grows well in arid soils. Also known as milkweed, butterfly weed, butterfly milkweed, and butterfly-weed. Medicinal: Roots are a respiratory expectorant and diaphoretic. Perennial in Zones 4-9.
California Poppy
Silky, 2-3" cups of brilliant orange top neat mounds of finely cut silvery-green foliage. Blooms over a long period. Drought tolerant. Tolerates light frost. Excellent for seeding large areas.
Cardinal Flower
Nature's most brilliant red wildflower creates an unforgettable display with its intense scarlet blooms that seem to glow in shade gardens. This native beauty is a hummingbird magnet, drawing ruby-throated hummingbirds from miles around with its tubular flowers perfectly designed for their long beaks. Thriving in moist soils where many plants struggle, it brings vibrant color to pond edges, rain gardens, and woodland borders.
Coral Bells
Native coral bells offer delicate clouds of tiny white or pink flowers dancing above beautiful mounds of scalloped leaves that change colors with the seasons. This versatile perennial bridges the gap between wildflower and cultivated garden, equally at home in formal borders or naturalized woodland settings. Its long-lasting foliage provides four-season interest while the airy flower stems attract bees and other beneficial pollinators.
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
This cheerful native perennial produces masses of bright yellow daisy-like flowers with distinctive notched petals from spring through fall. Lanceleaf coreopsis is incredibly easy to grow and drought tolerant, making it perfect for beginner gardeners and low-maintenance landscapes. Its long blooming period and excellent cut flower qualities have made it a staple in cottage gardens and prairie restorations.
New England Aster
The crown jewel of fall-blooming wildflowers, this spectacular native transforms into clouds of tiny purple flowers just when most gardens are winding down. Essential for monarch butterfly migration and beloved by over 100 native bee species, it provides crucial late-season nectar when little else is blooming. The impressive 3-6 foot tall plants create dramatic backdrops and naturalize beautifully in wildflower meadows.
Partridge Pea
A delightful annual legume that produces bright yellow flowers with distinctive red-spotted petals throughout summer and fall. This native prairie plant fixes nitrogen in the soil while attracting beneficial insects and providing seeds for quail and other wildlife. The sensitive compound leaves fold when touched, adding an interactive element that children love.
Prairie Blazingstar
A tall, dramatic native perennial that sends up striking purple flower spikes that bloom from top to bottom in late summer, creating a unique spectacle in prairie gardens. This pollinator magnet is essential for monarch butterfly migration and adds stunning vertical interest to any native plant garden.
Purple Coneflower
Easy-to-grow echinacea. Vigorous plants with large, purple-petaled flowers. Fibrous roots are easy to harvest (other species have taproots). Attracts and is a food source for bees. Also known as purple coneflower and eastern purple coneflower. Normally grown for 3-4 years for harvest of sizeable roots. Perennial in Zones 3-10.
Spiderwort
A resilient native wildflower producing clusters of three-petaled blue to purple flowers that open in the morning and close by afternoon. This easy-to-grow perennial forms attractive clumps of grass-like foliage and self-seeds readily to create natural colonies. The mucilaginous stems and leaves were traditionally used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes.
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Alyssum is fast and low growing, trouble free, and low cost, making it a popular choice for use as beneficial insect habitat in vegetable and fruit production. Because of its very manageable plant habit, Sweet Alyssum is a good choice for beneficial planting in greenhouses and containers, in addition to outdoor production. Sprawling plants with dense clusters of small flowers. Commonly known as sweet alyssum, but also known simply as alyssum. Tender perennial in Zones 9-11. Attracts and provides a food source for beneficial insects such as lacewings, parasitic wasps, syrphid flies, and tachinid flies.
Wild Bergamot
A fragrant native wildflower that attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds with its clusters of tubular lavender-pink blooms. This hardy perennial spreads naturally to form beautiful colonies and has been used traditionally for tea and medicinal purposes. Its minty fragrance and long blooming period make it a favorite for pollinator gardens and prairie restorations.
Wild Blue Indigo
A stunning prairie native that produces dramatic spikes of deep blue lupine-like flowers in late spring, followed by attractive seed pods that rattle in the wind. This long-lived perennial forms impressive clumps over time and is virtually maintenance-free once established, making it a cornerstone plant for naturalized gardens.
Wild Blue Lupine
A stunning prairie native producing tall spikes of deep blue pea-like flowers that create dramatic vertical accents in wildflower gardens. This nitrogen-fixing legume improves soil while attracting bees and serving as the sole host plant for the endangered Karner Blue butterfly. The distinctive palmate leaves and showy flower spikes make it a standout in naturalized plantings and cottage gardens.
Wild Blue Phlox
A woodland treasure that carpets forest floors with fragrant lavender-blue flowers in early spring. This spreading perennial creates stunning drifts of color before trees leaf out, making it perfect for naturalizing in shade gardens or woodland borders. The sweet-scented blooms attract early butterflies and other pollinators emerging from winter.
Wild Columbine
This delicate woodland native produces unique red and yellow flowers with distinctive spurs that nod gracefully above blue-green compound foliage. Wild columbine is a hummingbird magnet and thrives in partial shade where many wildflowers struggle. Its ability to self-seed in rocky crevices and woodland edges makes it perfect for naturalizing in shade gardens.
Wild Indigo
A unique prairie native with silvery-gray foliage and distinctive deep purple flower spikes topped with bright orange stamens, creating an unusual and striking garden display. This extremely drought-tolerant legume develops a deep taproot and becomes virtually maintenance-free once established, making it perfect for challenging sites.
Wild Lupine
This stunning native perennial produces tall spikes of blue-purple pea-like flowers above distinctive palmate leaves. Wild lupine is the sole host plant for the endangered Karner blue butterfly and an important nitrogen-fixer that improves soil health. Its deep taproot makes it extremely drought tolerant once established, perfect for naturalizing in sandy soils.
Zone 7 Growing Tips for Washington DC
Take advantage of Zone 7's forgiving spring by direct sowing cool-season wildflowers like Sweet Alyssum and Wild Columbine in late February to early March, even if soil temperatures are still chilly. These varieties actually benefit from a period of cold stratification and will germinate when conditions are right. For heat-sensitive species like Wild Ginger and Coral Bells, aim for an April 15th transplant date – about two weeks after your average last frost – to minimize transplant shock during establishment.
Summer heat management becomes crucial by July and August, even in Zone 7. Morning watering and afternoon shade can make the difference between thriving wildflowers and stressed plants. I've found that Prairie Blazingstar and Wild Bergamot actually prefer the heat, so position these varieties in full sun locations where other species might struggle. For fall interest, plant New England Aster transplants by mid-June to ensure they're well-established before their autumn bloom period – these late-season stars need that extra time to develop strong root systems.