Native Plants

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?

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

1 rating

Sunday - March 14, 2004

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Visit Texas to see the Bluebonnets
Answered by: Sage Kawecki

QUESTION:

When is a good time to visit Texas to see the Bluebonnets?

ANSWER:

Bluebonnets begin flowering in late February to mid March, and usually finish blooming around the end of May when temperatures get warm.

From the Image Gallery

Texas bluebonnet
Lupinus texensis

More Wildflowers Questions

Overwintering Yucca Seedlings in Illinois
October 02, 2013 - I have many yucca seedlings I started this year. My question is what do I need to do with them to overwinter here in Northern Illinois and when do I plant them in the ground for best chances of survi...
view the full question and answer

Low maintenance native plants for college campus in Monterey, CA
June 30, 2005 - I am a graduate student at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. We are researching ways to save money (decreased maintenance, pesticide/herbicide use, etc) on our campus. I need so...
view the full question and answer

Indian Paintbrush outnumbering our Bluebonnets this year.
May 26, 2015 - We noticed we have more Indian paintbrush than bluebonnets in our front yard this year. Our issue is we also have more spear grass than normal. Is there a way to control this grass without killing th...
view the full question and answer

Wildflowers for West Texas Permian Basin area
March 19, 2007 - What wild flowers grow out here in West Texas (Permian Basin Area)? I know a lot of the wild flowers from other parts of the state will not grow out here in the dry heat and poor soil. Thanks for you...
view the full question and answer

Signs designating wildflower areas
September 17, 2007 - I belong to a large homeowners association in Keller, TX. We've created a large wildflower area and need a sign to designate it. Where can I find wildflowers signs ? We want to alert residents to ...
view the full question and answer

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