The saying goes “April showers bring May flowers” however it seems the state flower of Texas has other plans. 

You might have noticed Bluebonnets popping up all over the Austin area a bit earlier than any of us expected. The typical bloom time for these flowers is between March and April, however, we have all become accustomed to seeing them bloom closer to or during the month of April as a sign of the start of spring. 

There are a number of wildflowers that bloom across Texas during spring and depending on rainfall, sun exposure, temperatures, and nutrients in the soil it can cause a shift in the timeframe for these flowers to bloom. Some years they might have been later to arrive due to a combination of the factors listed above and likewise, it can also cause these flowers to come into bloom much earlier than originally predicted. 

Whatever the cause there is no reason to be concerned that these beautiful blue flowers have made an appearance early. Now is the time to go out and enjoy them! 

As a reminder, if you do plan on visiting a field full of Bluebonnets be mindful of the inhabitance of that environment by keeping an eye out for the snakes and insects that call those open fields home. When I take my kiddos for their annual Bluebonnet photos I always check the area we will be in first before allowing my children into the flower zones. 

That being said rumor has it that it is illegal to pick Bluebonnets however this isn’t actually true(I know my inner child was shocked when I found out) unless you are on privet property or inside a state or national park. The best rule of thumb is to leave the flowers where they lie and to try your best to avoid stepping on or crushing the flowers. We want to leave them intact for their natural lifecycle that way everyone can benefit from their beauty year after year. 

My last bit of Bluebonnet season wisdom is to please please avoid taking your photos on the sides of roads and highways. While the flowers might be growing thick along the roads it is incredibly dangerous, instead, look for areas less trafficked like parks or other safe places. 

Photos by: Matthew Lancaster and Phinehas Adams on Unsplash