What’s Blooming in May?

The chart represents the approximate bloom times in Minnesota. Factors such as temperature and precipitation play a large role in how a plant fares year after year. Northern MN should also start a bit later and/or end a bit earlier than Southern MN.

Only native plants are listed here. If you are looking for something specific, try the “find in page” feature of your browser (usually CTRL+F).

Reference: f = flowering. See also non-native bloom times.

May Native Plants
Plant NameWeek 1Week 2Week 3Week 4
Actaea pachypoda White Baneberryffff
Actaea rubra Red Baneberryffff
Adoxa moschatellina Moschatelffff
Allium textile White Wild Onionffff
Andromeda polifolia Bog Rosemaryffff
Androsace occidentalis Western Rock Jasmineffff
Androsace septentrionalis Northern Androsace  ff
Anemone acutiloba Sharp-lobed Hepaticaffff
Anemone americana Round-lobed Hepaticaffff
Anemone canadensis Canada Anemone  ff
Anemone caroliniana Carolina anemoneff  
Anemone patens American Pasqueflowerff  
Anemone quinquefolia Wood Anemoneffff
Antennaria howellii Howell's Pussytoesffff
Antennaria microphylla Tiny-leaved Pussytoesffff
Antennaria neglecta Field Pussytoesffff
Antennaria parlinii Parlin's Pussytoesffff
Antennaria parvifolia Small-leaved Pussytoesffff
Antennaria plantaginifolia Plantain-leaved Pussytoesffff
Aplectrum hyemale Putty-root   f
Aquilegia canadensis Red Columbineffff
Arabidopsis lyrata Lyre-leaved Rock Cressffff
Arabis pycnocarpa Hairy Rock Cress fff
Aralia nudicaulis Wild Sarsaparilla fff
Arceuthobium pusillum Eastern Dwarf Mistletoeffff
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Bearberryffff
Arethusa bulbosa Dragon's Mouth   f
Arisaema dracontium Green Dragonffff
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-Pulpitffff
Asarum canadense Canadian Wild Gingerffff
Astragalus alpinus Alpine Milkvetch   f
Astragalus crassicarpus Ground Plumffff
Astragalus lotiflorus Lotus Milkvetchffff
Astragalus missouriensis Missouri Milkvetchffff
Astragalus racemosus Cream Milkvetch  ff
Aureolaria pedicularia Fern-leaf False Foxglove  ff
Bacopa rotundifolia Water-hyssopffff
Baptisia bracteata Plains Wild Indigo  ff
Baptisia lactea White Wild Indigo   f
Barbarea orthoceras American Yellow Rocket   f
Besseya bullii Kittentailsffff
Boechera canadensis Sickle-pod  ff
Boechera collinsii Collins' Rock Cressffff
Boechera dentata Toothed Rock Cressffff
Boechera grahamii Spreading-pod Rock Cressffff
Boechera laevigata Smooth Rock Cressffff
Boechera stricta Drummond's Rock Cressffff
Calla palustris Wild Calla   f
Caltha palustris Marsh Marigoldffff
Calypso bulbosa var. americana Fairy Slipper   f
Cardamine bulbosa Spring Cressffff
Cardamine concatenata Cutleaf Toothwortffff
Cardamine parviflora Small-flowered Bittercressffff
Cardamine pensylvanica Pennsylvania Bittercressffff
Cardamine pratensis Cuckoo Flowerffff
Castilleja coccinea Indian Paintbrushffff
Castilleja sessiliflora Downy Painted-cupffff
Caulophyllum thalictroides Blue Cohoshffff
Ceanothus herbaceus Narrow-leaved New Jersey Teaffff
Cerastium arvense Field Chickweed   f
Cerastium brachypodum Short-stalked Chickweedffff
Cerastium nutans Nodding Chickweedffff
Chamaedaphne calyculata Leather-leafffff
Chrysosplenium americanum American Golden Saxifrageffff
Chrysosplenium iowense Iowa Golden Saxifrageffff
Claytonia caroliniana Carolina Spring Beautyffff
Claytonia virginica Virginia Spring Beautyffff
Clematis occidentalis Purple Clematisffff
Clintonia borealis Bluebead fff
Coeloglossum viride Long-bract Frog Orchid  ff
Comandra umbellata Bastard Toadflaxffff
Coptis trifolia Three-leaf Goldthreadffff
Corallorhiza striata Striped Coralroot   f
Corallorhiza trifida Early Coralroot fff
Cornus canadensis Bunchberry   f
Corydalis aurea Golden Corydalisffff
Corydalis micrantha Slender Fumewortffff
Corydalis sempervirens Pale Corydalisffff
Coryphantha vivipara Pincushion Cactus   f
Crocanthemum canadense Canada Frostweed   f
Cynoglossum virginianum Wild Comfreyffff
Cypripedium acaule Stemless Lady's-slipper   f
Cypripedium arietinum Ram's-head Lady's-slipper  ff
Cypripedium candidum Small White Lady's-slipper  ff
Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin Small Yellow Lady's-slipper  ff
Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens Greater Yellow Lady's-slipper fff
Descurainia pinnata Tansy Mustard fff
Dicentra canadensis Squirrel Cornffff
Dicentra cucullaria Dutchman's Breechesffff
Dodecatheon amethystinum Jeweled Shooting Starffff
Dodecatheon meadia Prairie Shooting Starffff
Draba arabisans Rock Whitlow-grass  ff
Draba cana Hoary Whitlow-grassffff
Draba nemorosa Yellow Whitlow-grassfff 
Draba reptans Carolina Whitlow-grassff  
Dracocephalum parviflorum American Dragonhead   f
Ellisia nyctelea Aunt Lucyffff
Enemion biternatum False Rue Anemoneffff
Epigaea repens Trailing Arbutusffff
Erigeron philadelphicus Philadelphia Fleabaneffff
Erigeron pulchellus Robin's Plantainffff
Erysimum asperum Western Wallflowerffff
Erysimum inconspicuum Small-flowered Wallflower  ff
Erythronium albidum White Trout Lilyffff
Erythronium americanum Yellow Trout Lilyffff
Erythronium propullans Dwarf Trout Lilyfff 
Euphorbia spathulata Warty Spurge   f
Floerkea proserpinacoides False Mermaidffff
Fragaria vesca Woodland Strawberryffff
Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberryffff
Gaillardia aristata Blanketflower  ff
Galearis spectabilis Showy Orchis fff
Galium aparine Sticky-willyffff
Galium triflorum Fragrant Bedstraw fff
Gaultheria hispidula Creeping Snowberry fff
Geranium bicknellii Bicknell's Cranesbillffff
Geranium maculatum Wild Geraniumffff
Geum canadense White Avens   f
Geum laciniatum Rough Avensffff
Geum triflorum Prairie Smokeffff
Hackelia deflexa Nodding Stickseed   f
Hedeoma hispida Rough False Pennyroyal   f
Heracleum maximum Common Cow Parsnip   f
Heuchera richardsonii Prairie Alumroot   f
Hudsonia tomentosa Beach Heather   f
Hybanthus concolor Eastern Green Violetffff
Hydrastis canadensis Golden Sealffff
Hydrocotyle americana American Water Pennywort  ff
Hydrophyllum appendiculatum Appendaged Waterleafffff
Hydrophyllum virginianum Virginia Waterleaf  ff
Hypoxis hirsuta Yellow Star-grassffff
Iris versicolor Harlequin Blueflag   f
Jeffersonia diphylla Twinleafff  
Kalmia polifolia Bog Laurelffff
Krigia biflora Two-flowered Cynthia   f
Lathyrus ochroleucus Cream Pea  ff
Lathyrus venosus Veiny Pea  ff
Lepidium densiflorum Green-flowered Peppergrassffff
Lepidium virginicum Virginia Peppergrass  ff
Lithospermum canescens Hoary Puccoon fff
Lithospermum caroliniense Carolina Puccoon  ff
Lithospermum incisum Narrow-leaf Puccoonffff
Lithospermum latifolium American Gromwellffff
Lomatium orientale Northern Idaho Biscuitrootffff
Lupinus perennis Wild Lupineffff
Luzula acuminata Hairy Woodrushffff
Luzula multiflora Common Woodrush   f
Lysimachia borealis Starflower fff
Lysimachia minima Chaffweedffff
Lysimachia thyrsiflora Tufted Loosestrife  ff
Maianthemum canadense Canada Mayflower  ff
Maianthemum racemosum False Solomon's Sealffff
Maianthemum stellatum Starry False Solomon's Sealffff
Maianthemum trifolium Three-leaf False Solomon's-sealffff
Menispermum canadense Canada Moonseed   f
Menyanthes trifoliata Buckbeanffff
Mertensia paniculata Northern Bluebells  ff
Mertensia virginica Virginia Bluebellsffff
Micranthes pensylvanica Swamp Saxifrage  ff
Micranthes virginiensis Early Saxifrageffff
Minuartia dawsonensis Rock Sandwortffff
Mirabilis nyctaginea Wild Four O'Clock  ff
Mitella diphylla Two-leaf Miterwortffff
Mitella nuda Naked Miterwortffff
Moehringia lateriflora Bluntleaf Sandwort fff
Moehringia macrophylla Large-leaved Sandwort   f
Monolepis nuttalliana Nuttall's Povertyweed  ff
Myosotis laxa Smaller Forget-me-notffff
Myosotis verna Spring Forget-me-notffff
Nothocalais cuspidata Prairie False Dandelionffff
Nuttallanthus canadensis Old-field Toadflax  ff
Oenothera laciniata Cut-leaved Evening Primrose  ff
Opuntia fragilis Brittle Prickly Pear  ff
Opuntia macrorhiza Plains Prickly Pear  ff
Osmorhiza claytonii Sweet Cicely  ff
Osmorhiza longistylis Aniseroot  ff
Oxalis montana Common Wood Sorrelffff
Oxalis violacea Violet Wood Sorrelffff
Oxytropis lambertii Lambert's Locoweed  ff
Packera aurea Golden Ragwort  ff
Packera cana Woolly Groundsel  ff
Packera paupercula Balsam Ragwort   f
Packera plattensis Prairie Ragwort  ff
Packera pseudaurea Western Heart-leaved Groundsel  ff
Panax trifolius Dwarf Ginsengffff
Parietaria pensylvanica Pennsylvania Pellitoryffff
Pedicularis canadensis Wood Betony fff
Pediomelum esculentum Prairie Turnip fff
Penstemon albidus White Beardtongueffff
Penstemon digitalis Foxglove Beardtongue  ff
Penstemon gracilis Slender Beardtongue   f
Penstemon grandiflorus Large Beardtongue fff
Penstemon pallidus Pale Beardtongue   f
Petasites frigidus Sweet Coltsfootffff
Phlox divaricata Wild Blue Phloxffff
Phlox pilosa Prairie Phloxffff
Physaria ludoviciana Bladderpod fff
Plagiobothrys scouleri Sleeping Popcornflowerffff
Plantago elongata Slender Plantainffff
Podophyllum peltatum Mayapple  ff
Polemonium reptans Spreading Jacob's Ladderffff
Polygala senega Seneca Snakeroot  ff
Polygaloides paucifolia Gaywingsffff
Polygonatum biflorum Smooth Solomon's Seal   f
Polygonatum pubescens Hairy Solomon's Seal  ff
Potentilla simplex Common Cinquefoil   f
Primula mistassinica Mistassini Primroseffff
Psoralidium tenuiflorum Slenderleaf Scurfpeaffff
Ranunculus abortivus Little-leaf Buttercupffff
Ranunculus cymbalaria Alkali Buttercup   f
Ranunculus fascicularis Early Buttercupffff
Ranunculus flabellaris Yellow Water Buttercupffff
Ranunculus hispidus Hispid Buttercupffff
Ranunculus lapponicus Lapland Buttercup   f
Ranunculus recurvatus Hooked Buttercupffff
Ranunculus rhomboideus Prairie Buttercupffff
Ranunculus sceleratus Cursed Crowfootffff
Rhododendron groenlandicum Labrador Teaffff
Rorippa palustris Bog Yellow-cress  ff
Rorippa sinuata Spreading Yellow-cressffff
Rubus pubescens Dwarf Raspberry  ff
Rumex altissimus Pale Dock   f
Rumex verticillatus Swamp Dock  ff
Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodrootff  
Sanicula trifoliata Beaked Snakeroot  ff
Sarracenia purpurea Purple Pitcher Plantffff
Scheuchzeria palustris Rannoch-rush   f
Scutellaria leonardii Leonard's Skullcap  ff
Senecio integerrimus Lambstongue Ragwortffff
Sisyrinchium campestre Prairie Blue-eyed Grassffff
Sisyrinchium montanum Mountain Blue-eyed Grass  ff
Sisyrinchium mucronatum Needle-pointed Blue-eyed Grass  ff
Smilax ecirrhata Upright Carrion Flower  ff
Smilax illinoensis Illinois Carrion Flower  ff
Smilax lasioneura Blue Ridge Carrion Flower  ff
Smilax tamnoides Bristly Greenbrier  ff
Sphaeralcea coccinea Scarlet Globe-mallowffff
Stellaria longifolia Long-leaf Starwort  ff
Streptopus lanceolatus Rose Twisted-stalkffff
Symplocarpus foetidus Skunk Cabbageff  
Taenidia integerrima Yellow Pimpernelffff
Tephroseris palustris Marsh Ragwort   f
Thalictrum dioicum Early Meadow Rueffff
Thalictrum thalictroides Rue Anemoneffff
Thaspium barbinode Hairy-jointed Meadow Parsnip   f
Tradescantia occidentalis Spiderwort   f
Triglochin maritima Seaside Arrowgrass   f
Triglochin palustris Marsh Arrowgrass   f
Trillium cernuum Nodding Trilliumffff
Trillium flexipes Drooping Trilliumffff
Trillium grandiflorum Large-flowered Trilliumffff
Trillium nivale Snow Trilliumffff
Triodanis perfoliata Clasping-leaved Venus' Looking-glass   f
Triosteum aurantiacum Early Horse Gentian  ff
Triosteum perfoliatum Late Horse Gentianffff
Turritis glabra Tower Mustard fff
Typha latifolia Broad-leaf Cat-tailffff
Typha X glauca Hybrid Cattail   f
Uvularia grandiflora Large-flowered Bellwortffff
Uvularia sessilifolia Sessile-leaf Bellwortffff
Vaccinium angustifolium Lowbush Blueberry  ff
Vaccinium caespitosum Dwarf Bilberry  ff
Valeriana edulis Edible Valerianffff
Verbena bracteata Big-bract Verbena   f
Veronica americana American Speedwell  ff
Veronica catenata Water Speedwell fff
Veronica peregrina Purslane Speedwell fff
Veronica scutellata Marsh Speedwellffff
Vicia americana American Vetch  ff
Viola adunca Sand Violetffff
Viola blanda Sweet White Violetffff
Viola cucullata Marsh Blue Violetffff
Viola labradorica Dog Violetffff
Viola lanceolata Lance-leaved Violetffff
Viola macloskeyi var. pallens Small White Violetffff
Viola nephrophylla Northern Bog Violetffff
Viola novae-angliae New England Violetffff
Viola nuttallii Yellow Prairie Violetffff
Viola pedata Birdfoot Violetffff
Viola pedatifida Prairie Violetffff
Viola primulifolia Primrose-leaved Violetffff
Viola pubescens Downy Yellow Violetffff
Viola renifolia Kidney-leaved Violetffff
Viola rugulosa Western Canada White Violetffff
Viola sagittata Arrow-leaved Violetffff
Viola selkirkii Great-spurred Violetffff
Viola sororia Common Blue Violetffff
Vitis riparia Riverbank Grape   f
Waldsteinia fragarioides Barren Strawberryffff
Zizia aptera Heart-leaved Alexanders fff
Zizia aurea Golden Alexanders fff