Texas Wildflowers

I knew the state flower of Texas was the Blue Bonnet but I had to Google one to see what it looked like. According to my research, Blue Bonnets pop up in the early spring and hang around until the dry heat of summer comes. We have had a considerable amount of rain this year, enough to bring Texas out of its two year drought, so we have lots of green grass and Blue Bonnets EVERYWHERE! I didn't realize that this part of Texas is known for their wildflowers and there are many different varieties other than the Blue Bonnet. My 40 minute commute to work each day has been made a little brighter as every field lining the highway is now FILLED with flowers.

Now for a little lesson in Texas flora:

1. The Blue Bonnet: (see above) Named for its color and, it is said, the resemblance of its petal to a woman's sunbonnet, the bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas. It blooms in the early spring and can be readily found in fields and along the roadsides throughout central and south Texas.
Scientifically named Lupinus texensis, the bluebonnet is also called buffalo clover, wolf flower, and (by the Mexicans) el conejo. It was adopted as the official state flower by the Texas Legislature in 1901. Note: it is apparently illegal to pick Blue Bonnets off the side of the road!


2. Firewheel Indian Blankets: A hardy, drought tolerant annual native to the central United States. Easily established from seed, it forms dense colonies of brilliant red flowers with yellow rims. The flower diameter is slightly smaller than its perennial cousin Gaillardia aristata. An excellent variety of coastal beach-front property or sand dune reclamation sites. Thrives in heat and full sun in well drained soils. (Don't you like the cactus in the background? It just SCREAMS Texas!)


3. Indian Paintbrush: The flowers of Indian paintbrush are edible and sweet, and were consumed in moderation by various American Indian tribes as a condiment with other fresh greens. These plants have a tendency to absorb and concentrate selenium in their tissues from the soils in which they grow, and can be potentially very toxic if the roots or green parts of the plant are consumed. The Chippewa Indians used a hair wash made from Indian Paintbrush to make their hair glossy and full bodied and as a treatment for rheumatism. The high selenium content of this plant has been cited as the reason for its effectiveness for these purposes. Nevada Indian Tribes used the plant to treat venereal diseases and to enhance the immune system. Various other tribes used the plant as its name suggests -- as a paintbrush .















4. Slender Stemmed Bitterweed: found in any open, sunny space anywhere in San Antonio, commonly on the sides of roads. It can grow up to a foot and a half tall, and blooms from March to October. (They are the yellow ones in my picture.)

I took the pictures along Highway 181 between Wilson and Bexar counties here in Texas. If you're local, I suggest you visit them in person. It's beautiful!
Credits: www.wikipedia.com