Just about this time of year you may notice families alongside Texas highways taking pictures. If you’re not familiar with Texas, you might wonder why they would choose such a place for a family photo. For the rest of us Texans, we know exactly why – it’s wildflower season! And there isn’t a better backdrop than Texas bluebonnets.
“The bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland…” We couldn’t agree more! It’s true – Texans love their bluebonnets about as much as Blue Bell. As it turns out, you can experience both from the same source! Brenham is home to both Blue Bell Ice Cream and a beautiful display of bluebonnets. A few bluebonnet hotspots just outside the Houston area are:
- Chappell Hill
- Independence
- Washington on the Brazos
- Brenham
For the greater Houston area, bluebonnet season typically begins at the end of March, but these blue beauties can be tricky. As you can imagine, much depends upon the weather and if you’ve lived in Texas for any length of time you know that Texas weather is not something that can be accurately pinned down until you’re in the middle of it.
If you plan to make a bluebonnet trip, here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:
- Be aware of private property and do not trespass
- Treat the landscape with respect and do not trample the wildflowers
- Watch out for snakes, bees and ants (this is especially important if you’re sitting your little one down while you snap a picture)
The window for viewing the bluebonnets at their peak is only a few weeks; so make plans for a wildflower road trip pretty quickly upon bloom time, which could be in the next few weeks. How will you know when it’s time? You can look for bluebonnets blooming along the side of the highways or you can visit www.texasbluebonnetsightings.com for a listing of bluebonnet blooms throughout the area.
Happy Spring and good luck bluebonnet hunting!