Wild About Wildflowers

In some parts of the country, April showers bring May flowers, but in South Texas the natives start to get restless in the month of March. Native flowers--from bluebonnets to Indian paintbrushes to Mexican hats--fill the roadsides with color starting in late March and beckon travelers to get out and enjoy the blooms.

The San Antonio area is rich with wildflowers because it lies in the junction of several distinct geographic areas. It rests at the southern end of the Midwestern Prairies, the eastern side of the Chihuahuan desert, the northern boundary of the Tamaulipan Thorn Scrub, and the western reaches of the Southeast Woodlands. What does all that mean to the weekend traveler? A bloomin' good time!

Just when and where the wildflowers will appear is anyone's guess, varying year to year with weather conditions. "I think this will be a good year for wildflowers," predicts Janis Merritt, native plant curator at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. "We've been having nice gentle rains so they're looking good."

Merritt says that wildflowers will begin to make their appearances between mid-March and mid-April. "The bluebonnets and the pink evening primroses usually start blooming first." Those favorites are followed by the Indian blankets, purple horsemint, and black-eyed Susans which bloom and continue to provide color into June.

FLOWER FACTS

Texas is home to over 1,000 varieties of wildflowers. "Definitely the bluebonnet" is the most popular, says Merritt. Other favorites include the brilliant yellow and red Mexican-hat, the blush colored Indian Paintbrush, the delicately leafed Texas sage, the fiery scarlet sage, and the dazzling firewheels.

To help you locate blooming fields, call the Texas Wildflower Hotline at 512/832-4059, wait for a message, then press 4. The message will be played between mid-March 16 and the end of May and offers information updated weekly about spectacular roadside displays of wildflowers in bloom throughout the state.

If you're eager to start your flower search but the fields are not yet in bloom, consider a stop at one of two local gardens to increase you flower power. In San Antonio, the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, located at 555 Funston Place, provide an excellent starting point. The Native Texas Area, separated from the formal gardens, features a look at the native plants and flowers of the Lone Star State. This 15-acre area represents three vegetational areas: the Hill Country, the East Texas Pineywoods, and the South Texas Plains. Some of the wildflowers are labeled so that you'll learn to identify the blooms that you'll later see along the roadsides.

Wander through the Hill Country area of the garden for a peek at the plants and flowers you'll see growing wild along the roadsides. Bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, Mexican hats, Indian blankets, and other native wildflowers decorate a meadow.

North of San Antonio, the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Research Center is the only facility in the nation devoted to native plants and flowers. Located in Austin at 4801 La Cross Avenue, the center was created by Lady Bird Johnson in 1982 as part of a national beautification project.

The center is a dream that has blossomed into reality, today showcasing over 500 species of native plants in formal and informal gardens. Enjoy a peaceful walk through the meditation garden, a colorful stroll through the Butterfly Garden, or a sensory experience in the Fragrance Garden, all designed using native wildflowers and plants. During this season, a centerpiece of this attraction is the Wildflower Meadow, which explodes with color.

FESTIVALS

One of the best ways to enjoy the Hill Country blooms is at a wildflower festival. In mid-March, the San Antonio Botanical Gardens ushers in the new season with Spring Celebration. The fields and gardens really comes alive with color by mid-April for Viva Botanica at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.

Also in April, The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Research Center hosts the Wildflower Days Festival. This weekend of fun always includes environmental speakers and authors, storytellers, outdoor demonstrations, homegrown music, food, and booths offering native plants and seeds.

During the first two weekends of April, the Hill Country celebrates those spectacular blooms with the Highland Lakes Bluebonnet Trail, one of the largest flower events in the state. This self-guided tour starts in the capital city and winds through small lakeside communities and roadside displays of the flowers.

What began over 30 years ago simply as a drive from one bluebonnet field to another has blossomed into one of central Texas' major events, drawing bus tours, photographers, and vacationers. Don't be surprised to see 30 or 40 cars pulled off the road at some spots, with children kneeling in neck-high fields of lupinus, better known as bluebonnets, smiling for the family camera.

"During the peak season, the roads are blanketed with a riot of color and whole fields are blue from bluebonnets or red from Indian paintbrushes. Although every year is a great year for Texas wildflowers, some years are more spectacular than others. I hope this will be a banner year thanks to winter rainfalls," says Eleanor Morris, author of Fairs and Festivals of Texas (Country Roads Press). "At the wildflower festivals, people can learn more Texas bluebonnets as well as other wildflowers: deep red and yellow Indian blankets, thick white daisies, bright yellow Texas stars, fuchsia spiderworts and purple verbena."

The Bluebonnet Trail begins in the capital city of Austin, north of San Antonio on I-35. Highways leading in all directions are lined with miles of bluebonnets and other wildflowers thanks to the efforts of the Texas Highway Department and Lady Bird Johnson, whose highway beautification program is partially responsible for the profusion of wildflowers.