Charlestown State Park, A Wildflower Hotspot In Indiana, Will Be In Full Bloom Soon And It’s An Extraordinary Sight To See
Wildflower enthusiasts rejoice! It’s that time of year again – the time in which the weather begins warming up and wildflowers of many sorts come bursting up from out of the ground. It’s a gorgeous time of year for sure, and if you want to get out and look for wildflowers this spring, we definitely don’t blame you. In fact, if we can make a suggestion, a must-see spot for wildflowers in Indiana in the next several weeks probably has to be in Charlestown State Park, in southern Indiana.
It's home to a variety of niche things that you'll love depending on your own interests: there's an abandoned theme park for those who love urban exploration, there's a lake for those who love swimming or water sports, and then there are wildflowers for those of us who are totally obsessed. Wildflowers in Indiana tend to go nuts in some years, displaying some of the most beautiful colors in the Midwest. Here are a few of our favorite flowers that you'll discover at Charlestown State Park.
Interestingly, this particular flower is a member of the mustard family, though it's the only one that looks the way it does. No worries, little guy, every family needs a black sheep - and in this case, it's much more like a purple-flowered sheep, though the flowers do fade to a white color as they get older.
It's easily the most dangerous plant on this list, as the berries the flowers turn into as they mature are extremely poisonous. Due to their strange, bulbous appearance with a black dot in the center, the berries are also sometimes called "Doll's Eyes" (yikes). At least the flower is nice to look at before the berries come in.
This particular variation of blue flowers is called blue-eyed grass, which is kind of misleading, considering it's not a grass at all. It's a flower in the Iris family, and the deep blues and royal purples of its flowers are astonishingly brilliant. You'll find them scattered all over Charlestown State Park.
They tend to grow in clusters along Trail 6, so keep your eyes peeled and make sure to take that particular trail if you'd like to see them this year.
Jack-in-the-pulpit is an odd-looking, cylindrical green flower that sometimes ends up with brown stripes or white on the inside. Since it's mostly green, it tends to blend in with other plants, but once you notice it you'll probably keep spotting it! It resembles a pitcher plant, which also grows in Indiana in another location, but it is not related and does not digest insects (the bees are safe in this case!).
The leaves can get super-wide - almost a foot wide in some cases. The flowers are bright white with gold or greenish stamen.
The park is easily one of the very best places for spotting wildflowers in Indiana. There are literally hundreds of more species that we definitely don't have the time to mention here, but trust us, they're all gorgeous in their own ways. Spring is a beautiful time full of new life.
Are you planning on hunting for wildflowers in Indiana this spring? Where are you going to go, and which flowers are your favorites? Tell us about them in the comments!
Looking for more flowery goodness? Check out this article about flower farms in Indiana!
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Address: 12500 IN-62, Charlestown, IN 47111, USA
