A sure sight on any springtime road trip is a field full of Texas bluebonnets stretching toward the horizon, sprinkled with white, pink, yellow, and orange wildflowers. Families trek to Hill Country fields to snap portraits among the blooms, a seasonal tradition as Texan as a bowl of chili or the Alamo itself.
Jack Maguire, journalist, historian, and former director of the Institute of Texan Cultures, reflected on the many ways Texans see themselves through their state’s symbols. In one of his early works, he wrote, “The bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the lily to France, the rose to England and the tulip to Holland.” With those simple but powerful comparisons, Maguire elevated the bluebonnet from a humble wildflower to a statewide icon of pride and identity.
Mexican Hat flowers feature a large center flower head and reddish brown petals with yellow tips.
Where Seeds Take Root
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the state’s foremost resource on wildflowers, offering forecasts, maps, experts and in-depth educational resources. The Texas Department of Transportation, too, plays a vital role, publishing wildflower updates and sowing seeds across the state’s highways. At the same time, local tourism bureaus and garden clubs keep tabs on regional bloom activity.
The Johnson Wildflower Center estimates that Texas is home to about 5,000 native plant species, including 2,700 flowering varieties. A list of the top 20 most common species is easily accessible on the site with just a few clicks. It provides the names, along with a visual guide to the blues, pinks, yellows, oranges, and other shades (excluding some variants such as Texas A&M University’s maroon bonnets). Clicking on the flowers reveals extensive libraries of images, scientific information, growth conditions, medicinal or nutritional value, benefits to animals and insects, and other comprehensive details.
Pink evening Primrose flowers in bloom.
Settlers blazed trails up, down, and across Texas. According to TxDOT, modernization of transportation routes often involved clearing land to create roadbeds. Workers began to notice wildflowers as the first plants to reappear, significantly contributing to soil conservation by preventing erosion. As early as the 1900s, TxDOT initiated a wildflower planting program to support conservation efforts. In 1934, The Texas Highway Department (now TxDOT) adopted another practice: allowing the spring flowering period to pass before mowing. A recent publication from TxDOT states that the agency currently purchases and sows approximately 30,000 pounds of wildflower seeds along 800,000 miles of Texas roadways.
Where the Bluebonnets Bloom
Texas named the bluebonnet its official state flower on March 7, 1901. But the choice wasn’t simple—six species of bluebonnets belong to the Lupinus family, and it took decades to settle on a representation. In 1971, legislation declared all six species the official flower.
Popular naturalist Jeff Parker of Explore in Focus highlights each one:
- Annual Lupine – Common near El Paso, with hairy leaves and purple-leaning petals.
Big Bend Bluebonnet – Towering at 3–4 feet, this deep blue variety thrives in the region it’s named after.
Perennial Bluebonnet (Sundial) – Rare and lacy, last seen wild in Texas in 1931.
Dune Bluebonnet – Found in the Northwest Panhandle, more purple than blue and without white tips.
Sandyland Bluebonnet – The original state flower, with more spaced-out petals.
Texas Bluebonnet – The classic icon: rich blue flowers stacked in tall spikes with snowy white caps.
Prairie Verbena flowers grow in small clusters of purple flowers.
More Than Just Blue
While bluebonnets are often the star of Texas wildflower season, the vibrant fields are also dotted with colorful accents from other native blooms. Indian Paintbrush adds fiery orange, while Mexican Blanket (or Firewheel) glows in reddish orange with yellow-tipped petals. Mexican Hat features a tall sombrero-shaped flower head, its petals a blend of deep red and gold. Pink Evening Primrose opens at dusk in soft blush tones and Prairie Verbena blooms in clusters of purple, earning the Spanish nickname “Moradilla.” Huisache Daisies bring bright yellow pops with toothed petals.
The Johnson Wildflower Center’s guide dives deeper, introducing curious Texans to the magenta bloom of Winecups, the resilient Blackfoot Daisy, prickly but lovely Texas Thistles, and many more.
Texas, Our Texas
Texans have celebrated their wildflowers for generations—not just as pretty roadside scenery but as living connections to the land, our history, and state pride. Few understood this better than Lady Bird Johnson, whose conservation efforts brought wildflowers into the national spotlight. Maguire credited her with transforming these native blooms from overlooked roadside brush to cultural symbols, noting that her vision “turned highways into art galleries and travelers into appreciators of nature.”
Just as her legacy continues to shape the landscapes we cherish, so too do the wildflowers themselves—lining our roads and stretching across our landscapes, they continue to inspire future generations to pause, reflect, and embrace the natural beauty that belongs to the heart of the Lone Star State.
- Further reading:
Jeff Parker’s Explore In Focus: https://exploreinfocus.com/bluebonnets-of-texas/
Wildseed Farms: https://wildseedfarms.com/ourstory/
Johnson Wildflower Center’s Top 20: https://www.wildflower.org/texas-top-20
Ennis Bluebonnet Trails: https://www.bluebonnettrail.org/
Texas Department of Transportation’s Wildflower Program: https://www.txdot.gov/about/campaigns-outreach/bluebonnets-wildflowers/wildflower-program.html