Author’s Note: Research credited to North Dakota Game and Fish.

Everyone from around here is familiar with the age-old joke: who would ever want to live in North Dakota? And, yes, even I will admit that the winters can be brutal, and there are not too many things to do, but there are good things about North Dakota.

Personally, as a person who loves plants, I think the flora of the state is beautiful; particularly, the wildflowers native to the Peace Garden State can be quite gorgeous. So, as we move into actual spring, here are some of the native wildflowers of North Dakota.

1) Prairie Rose—Rosa arkansana

The state flower of North Dakota and found all over the state in prairies and along roadsides, the Prairie Rose is a pale pink or white color that blooms from June to August.

2) Black-Eyed Susan—Rudbeckia hirta

A wildflower that people from this part of the state are probably fairly familiar with, the Black-Eyed Susan is found in the eastern part of the state. They have flat yellow petals that circle around a dark brown circle and are usually easy to find in road ditches where water tends to pool.

3) Prairie Smoke—Geum triflorum

With feathery pinkish-purple petals, this wildflower resembles a little puff of smoke as it droops on its stem. It blooms late spring and is often found in large patches across the state.

4) Maximilian Sunflower—Helianthus maximiliani

Everyone probably already knows what a sunflower is, but these tall yellow flowers can be found in compact groups and can grow to be up to eight feet tall. Blooming from late June through mid-September, the Maximilian Sunflower is often food for songbirds and deer.

5) Showy Milkweed—Asclepias speciosa

Another pinkish-purple flower, these are often found in moist ditches and prairies. Though these flowers can be to livestock and pets, these flowers are most notably the plants that are favored by monarch butterflies for both food and homes.

Although these are only some of the wildflowers that can be easily found throughout the state, hopefully, you, dear reader, can better appreciate the flowers you see as you travel through the state.