What this app does
Bloom Calendar predicts when plants will bloom near you using growing degree days (GDD) — a running total of accumulated heat since Jan 1, which tracks plant development far more accurately than calendar dates. Warmer years and locations reach a plant's bloom threshold sooner; cooler ones later. The forecast is also calibrated by real bloom observations logged by you and other users.
Choosing your view
The first screen asks what brings you here — Beekeeper, Gardener/Grower, Hunter/Land Manager, Forager, Lavender Grower, or Butterfly/Monarch. This just changes which plants and tabs are emphasized; it doesn't limit your data. Tap "☰ [Your View]" in the top bar any time to switch, or "Show everything" on the selector screen to see all plants at once.
Setting your location
Pick your State and nearest City/Region from the dropdowns — forecasts are calibrated per city where possible. For more precision, check "Use my exact location" to let the app find your nearest supported city and adjust for your specific elevation using GPS. This calculation happens on your device — see the privacy policy for exactly what that does and doesn't send anywhere.
Reading the Timeline
- Bar color = flow strength: orange (major), green (maintenance), blue (minor), purple (pollen only). See the legend below the chart.
- Gold outline on a bar means that plant's dates have been calibrated by local observations rather than the base estimate.
- Vertical gold line marks today. Blue line marks the frost-free date range.
- Red diagonal stripes mark a dearth period — little to no forage available.
- Use Search, Category, Flow, and the other filters to narrow the list; tap "☰ More filters" on mobile to see them all.
Logging your own observations
Use Log My Blooms to record what's actually blooming near you. Submissions are reviewed before they count toward the shared local calibration or appear in the community list — this keeps the data reliable, but means your observation won't show up instantly. The more people log, the sharper the forecast gets for everyone in that area.
Plant identification
If a plant ID feature is available in your view, snap a photo and the app will suggest likely matches. This is a best-effort suggestion tool, not a guarantee — always double-check identification before eating anything or handling a plant you're unsure about, especially look-alikes with toxic relatives.
Why did a bloom date move?
Bloom windows shift year to year and place to place because they're driven by accumulated heat, not the calendar. If your area's dates look consistently early or late compared to what you're actually seeing, log an observation — that's exactly what recalibrates the model for your location.
Still stuck?
This is an independent, personally built and maintained tool. If something looks broken or you have a question not covered here, tap Help and choose Report a problem or Contact the developer, or email rdshad@beesbloomsandbytes.com.