WE TEXANS TAKE OUR WILDFLOWERS SERIOUSLY, and not just because we’re treated to some particularly impressive blooms each spring. Much of the appreciation for wildflowers — and, more generally, native-plant ecology — we see nationwide today originated here in the state thanks to the work of Lady Bird Johnson.
Both during and after LBJ’s tenure in the White House, the First Lady promoted the study, distribution, and conservation of native plants in Texas and the rest of the country, helping found the National Wildflower Research Center in 1982, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in 1995, both located in Austin.
Texans today — organizations and individuals — have taken up the mantle, and if you’re in the state during wildflower season (mid-March through mid-May), there are tons of forecasts, sighting reports, and identification guides online that’ll tell you what’s blooming where. Here’s a peek at what you can expect to see during Texas wildflower season.
An iconic Texas Hill Country scene: a field of bluebonnets, backed by the dipping limbs of a stand of live oak. This is one of those images that comes to the mind of a homesick Texas traveler.
Not all years bring equally impressive wildflower conditions. The timing and concentration of blooms depend heavily on winter precipitation and the spring warmup. Fortunately, this year is looking solid so far.
