Move over “cuffing season” and “ghosting”, now there’s a new dating buzzword making waves this summer.
The practice is known as “wildflowering” and is defined as being more relaxed about dating because the process of having relationships should be allowed to occur in its own natural way without forcing any labels or expected outcomes from the start.
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Although the phrase is now increasingly used on social media and other lifestyle blogs, it was introduced by the magazine Stylist in 2025, crediting the dating app Bumble for coming up with it.
What is “wildflowering” in dating?
Wildflowering is about dating freely, embracing spontaneity, and letting a relationship take its course without necessarily focusing on finding a lifelong companion right away.
According to Stylist, sexologist Chantelle Otten says that wildflowering “is about dating freely and on your terms, embracing spontaneity and seeing where new connections might lead.”
While “intentional dating” means making the effort to find a committed relationship at all times, this lets people embrace the process itself and not have any pressure for each encounter.
It is believed that wildflowering allows for more organic relationships with fewer expectations.
Is it really a new trend?
Although the name is new, the idea isn’t entirely unfamiliar.
Relationship commentators have compared wildflowering to last year’s “leafing” trend, which similarly encouraged people to slow down and let relationships unfold organically.
Speaking to Vice in 2025, sex expert Jaimee Bell described leafing as an antidote to the pressure of locking down a relationship quickly, saying it was about “letting things fall into place naturally.”
Many experts have attributed the increase in popularity of trends such as wildflowering to a general change in the culture of dating, where individuals prefer flexibility and compatibility over timelines.
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Regardless of whether it develops into a full-blown movement or just another trending dating phrase, wildflowering has already begun opening up dialogues around how people go about dating in the increasingly busy world.
FAQS
What is wildflowering?
Wildflowering is a dating concept that urges people to date while avoiding setting labels to give relationships time to grow.
Where did the concept originate from?
The concept is believed to be introduced by dating app Bumble in 2025 and made mainstream in 2026.