NATIONAL WILDFLOWER WEEK

NATIONAL WILDFLOWER WEEK

Always the first full week of May, National Wildflower Week commemorates the colorful blossoms that bring our landscapes to life. Whether they are on mountainsides, pastures, or in our own backyards, wildflowers create habitat, help conserve water and reduce erosion.

It's the perfect time to begin planting a wildflower garden. Wildflowers offer many benefits and one of them is creating a habitat for pollinators. Pollinators such as the monarch butterfly and the honey bee have been in decline. While all the reasons have not been identified, increasing the available habitat does help! Encouraging the growth of natural habitats also attract pollinators.

Some common wildflowers include:

• Black-eyed Susan

• Cornflower

• Common Poppy

• Primrose

• Yarrow

• Fireweed

• Asters

• Cardinal Flower

• Goldenrod

• Butterflyweed

Native wildflowers also provide ground cover that conserves water and reduces erosion. Besides all these amazing benefits, wildflowers are beautiful to see in bloom.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalWildflowerWeek

• Take a guided tour through any of the many nature conservancies across the country and enjoy the beauty of the painted landscape in nature.

• Or, take an unguided walk in your own countryside.

• Plant a wildflower garden. It will draw pollinators to your neighborhood.

• Share photos of your favorite wildflowers.

• Read about the best wildflowers for your area.

• Join a native species society.

• Use #NationalWildflowerWeek to post on social media and show us what you find.

NATIONAL WILDFLOWER WEEK HISTORY

We are unable at this time to find definitive information regarding the creator of National Wildflower Week.