Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
2 ratings

Saturday - January 31, 2015

From: Pflugerville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Best date for spring bluebonnet blooms for 2015
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

What is the estimated date range for the best bluebonnet viewing in the Hill Country this year (2015). I have guests from the north planning a visit and we'd like to pick a weekend with great possibilities.

ANSWER:

Generally, the first weekend in April is the peak of the bluebonnet blooming.   I think you could pick a weekend before or a weekend after that date and still have lots of blooms to see.  Because of the regularly spaced rains since fall of last year, there are a plethora of bluebonnet rosettes growing already this January around Central Texas.  If the rains continue on a regular basis into the spring, we should have a really good show this year. 

You can check several webpages in March with information about routes for seeing bluebonnets:

The Texas Department of Transportation in previous years has had a Wildflower Hotline beginning in March.  Check their webpage this March to find bluebonnets hotspots.

 

More Wildflowers Questions

Autumn flowering Texas wildflowers
May 07, 2008 - Where might I get a list of autumn flowering Texas wildflowers?
view the full question and answer

Blooming time in Austin for wildflowers
March 12, 2007 - Hi Mr. Smarty Pants!! I am a wildflower artist coming for my first spring visit to Austin to exhibit in the Artisan's Festival. As a wildflower fanatic, I am hoping to see and photograph some of "...
view the full question and answer

Plants for a moist, wooded area in North Carolina
December 06, 2014 - I am looking to plant some native flowers in a wooded area in Surry County NC. The chosen location is fully shaded beside a creek. The water table typically sets about 2 feet below the surface of th...
view the full question and answer

Seeding time for wildflower annuals and perennials in New York
October 27, 2006 - We have a large area of open land in front of our house and would like to dedicate part of it to wildflowers. I purchased some perenial seeds and would like to know if I can plant these this fall? T...
view the full question and answer

What to plant in northern Virginia
October 20, 2004 - We have recently purchased 10 acres in Northern Virginia, and would like to plant native wildflowers on 4 of the acres. The soil has a high clay content and is currently covered in a mixture of grasse...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.