wildflower

American  

[wahyld-flou-er] / ˈwaɪldˌflaʊ ər /

Or wild flower

noun

• wildflowers
  plural

1. the flower of a plant that normally grows in fields, forests, etc., without deliberate cultivation.

2. the plant itself.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• wildflowers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wildflower

First recorded in 1790–1800; wild + flower

Explanation

Blossoming plants that flourish without anyone having deliberately planted them are wildflowers. The tiny daisies, spiky blue lupine, and yellow California poppies you see along the side of the highway are all wildflowers. The thing wildflowers have in common is that they're flowering plants which grow wild, spreading freely in open fields, meadows, forests, or dunes. While many wildflowers are native plants that have thrived in a particular region over generations, some are cultivated plants which spread from people's yards and gardens into wild areas. The next time you see little purple asters along a hiking trail, or clumps of seaside goldenrod near the beach, you'll know you're looking at wildflowers.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wildflower wildflowers

Within 10-15 years, the former arable field had developed into a species-rich wildflower meadow.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026

Research led by Professor Carl Sayer at UCL Geography has found that abandoned farmland can recover naturally and develop into a diverse wildflower meadow, raising questions about some conventional methods used in habitat restoration.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026

She also spread Theodore Payne’s Rainbow Mix wildflower seeds, including California poppies, Arroyo lupine, Desert Bluebells and Clarkia, throughout the landscape.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

The wildflower meadow along the edges of the village green has been a particular highlight.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

The integrity of the environment is thereby preserved, the enormous value of the wildlife habitat remains intact, and the beauty of shrub and fern and wildflower has not been sacrificed.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Bumblebees are not just one of the best-loved sights of the British summer, they are also vital pollinators, helping sustain wildflowers and some of the crops we rely on.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Buglife explains chalk grassland is a rare and fragile habitat found along Surrey's rolling downs, supporting a rich diversity of wildflowers and insects found nowhere else.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

The bees also visit fruit trees and wildflowers that bloom early in the season.

From Science Daily ● May 28, 2026

On a recent spring day, the road that runs alongside the Guadalupe River leading up to Mystic was carpeted with purple wildflowers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026

As spring came, children brought her early wildflowers in small wilting bouquets and they helped her weave the stems into the straw of the hat s brim.

From "Son" by Lois Lowry