wildflower

Definition

n. a flower that grows in nature without being planted by people. You can find them in places like woods, fields, or by the side of the road.

n. a flower of a plant that grows in the wild, rather than being intentionally seeded or cultivated in a garden. Often used collectively to describe the flora of a specific natural habitat.

simple

“The field is full of yellow wildflowers in the spring.”

contextual

“The local park has a protected area where native wildflowers are allowed to grow freely to support bees.”

complex

“Conservationists are working to restore the meadow's original biodiversity by reintroducing several species of wildflower that had been displaced by invasive grasses.”

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “wildflower” in context.

Verb

01. identify wildflower

“She used a guidebook to identify wildflower varieties along the trail.”

verb + noun

02. pick wildflower

“Signs in the nature reserve remind visitors not to pick wildflower stems.”

verb + noun

03. plant wildflower

“We decided to plant wildflower seeds to attract more bees to the garden.”

verb + noun

04. wildflower bloom

“The wildflower blooms early in the season if the weather is mild.”

noun + verb

05. wildflower carpet

“Every April, the wildflower carpets the entire valley in purple.”

noun + verb

Adjective

06. colorful wildflower

“In spring, the hills are covered in colorful wildflower displays.”

adj + noun

07. native wildflower

“The park is famous for its diverse range of native wildflower species.”

adj + noun

08. rare wildflower

“Botanists are working to protect this rare wildflower from extinction.”

adj + noun

Noun

09. meadow of wildflower

“They walked through a vast meadow of wildflower under the summer sun.”

noun + prep + noun

10. patch of wildflower

“A small patch of wildflower grew beside the old stone wall.”

noun + prep + noun

11. in full bloom

“The wildflowers were in full bloom, creating a stunning landscape.”

12. scatter wildflower seeds

“The gardener scattered wildflower seeds across the cleared ground.”

Often used in the plural to refer to a variety of species growing together.

“Visitors are flocking to see a bonanza of wildflowers that has transformed this barren desert.”

The New York Times 12 Mar 2026

“This year’s 'super bloom'—an extraordinary display of wildflowers gracing typically barren hillsides and desert valleys—seems entirely logical.”

The New York Times 29 Mar 2019

“During spring, a colorful display of wildflowers blankets the land from the south all the way to Broome, covering over 1,500 miles.”

The New York Times 12 Oct 1986

“BLACK-EYED SUSAN, blue chicory, and Queen Anne's lace are just a few of the wildflowers that flourish freely in fields and along roadways, making it hard to believe that any wild plants might face threats.”

The New York Times 11 Sept 1983

From Old English wild + flōr, first recorded in the 14th century as a compound of two established Germanic roots.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

NOUN

wildflower(B1)

ADJECTIVE