Wildflowers

A variety of wildflowers grow throughout the monument's forests. They typically bloom May through early September. Some wildflowers are called spring ephemerals because they last a very short time. They are among the first flowers to bloom after the snow melts each year. These flowers grow quickly to take advantage of the extra sunlight before the deciduous trees (trees that shed their leaves) produce their abundance of new leaves and shade the forest floor.

Remember that observing and photographing wildflowers is achieved by bringing your eye to the wildflower and not the wildflower to your eye. Wildflowers within Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument are not to be picked so that they continue to provide habitat and food to wildlife and for the enjoyment of future visitors. Look closely for species like painted trillium (Trillium undulatum), red trillium (Trillium erectum), round-lobed hepatica (Hepatica americana), trout lily (Erythronium americanum), and wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia), especially in May. Although they are fleeting, many native insects rely on these early blossoms to survive.

Please share with us what you see! Sharing photos and field observations from your visit on iNaturalist can help us better protect and preserve the natural resources within Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.