Maryland Flowers
Maryland has wide geographic diversity. It has often been called "America in Miniature." Maryland flowers likewise come in many shapes and sizes. Some flowers are found throughout the state, but a few species are specific to one of Maryland's three geographical areas: the mountain region, the Piedmont, and the coastal plain. Gardeners are encouraged to use native plant species because they are adapted to the local conditions and require less maintenance than non-native plants.
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Native Wildflowers
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Maryland is home to a wide variety of native wildflowers. In 1986, the Maryland State Highway Administration began planting wildflower seeds along highways in order to cut down on the need to mow. This helped reduce air pollution but, perhaps more importantly, it also provided food sources for native insects and provided habitats to small animals. Since the program's inception, the highway administration has planted over 300 acres of land.
The Maryland State Flower: The Black-Eyed Susan
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In 1918, Maryland's General Assembly voted to make the Black-Eyed Susan the state flower. The Latin name for the flower is Rudbekia hirta. Black-Eyed Susans are members of the daisy family, and are perennials, which means they come back year after year. They are hardy plants found growing wild in fields and along roadsides. The flowers are 2 to 3 inches wide, and are a bright golden yellow with very dark brown centers. The plants grow to about 3 feet in height.
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Maryland's Mountain Region
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Maryland's western region is mountainous, reaching an elevation of 1,500 feet above sea level just west of Frederick. Many of Maryland's native flowers bloom across the state, while some species are found only in the mountain areas. Some native flowers in the mountain area of Maryland include blue flag, (a type of iris), white trillium, bird's-foot violet, Dutchman's breeches, Joe-Pye weed, wild indigo, spikenard, Eastern columbine, wild geranium, Turk's Cap lily, several species of lobelia and creeping phlox.
Maryland's Piedmont
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Maryland's Piedmont region extends from the western mountain region eastward towards the coast. The elevation drops from 1,500 feet in the western area and begins to level out towards the eastern part of the state. The climate is temperate, with hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. Native Maryland flowers in the Piedmont area include Jack-in-the-Pulpit, spikenard, butterflyweed, heath aster, Maryland golden aster, wild bleeding heart, trout lily, tickseed sunflower, blue vervain, yellow sneezeweed and the oxeye sunflower.
Maryland's Coastal Plain
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The coastal plain area of Maryland has the mildest climate. It includes the eastern part of the state, which is roughly more than a third of Maryland's geographic area. The coastal plain is home to numerous wetland and swamp areas. Native plants here include the swamp milkweed, white turtlehead, panickled tick-trefoil, swamp sunflower, cardinal flower, eastern prickly-pear cactus, Solomon's seal, white trillium, sweet flag, rose mallow, seashore mallow and broad-leaved cattail.
Invasive Species
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Nonnative species of flowers and non-flowering plants can be problematic because they compete with native species of plants for food and space. Nonnative plants often do not have natural predators, and can effectively choke out native species. Perhaps the most famous (or infamous) invasive species is the kudzu plant, which takes over everything in its path, including entire trees.
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- Photo Credit black eyed susans image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
