CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Although Spring does not officially begin until March 19, recent sightings of the wildflower reassure Texans that a new season, is on the way. Thanks to recent weather conditions, this year will be slightly different.
"We seem to be having a better bluebonnet year for a couple of reasons," South Texas Botanical Gardens executive director Michael Womack said. "First of all, we've had more moisture in the late Fall and also during the wintertime. That's allowed those little bluebonnets that germinated to grow."
The flowers need cool weather which we saw at the beginning of the year as well as recent warm temperatures to aid in the blossoming.
"So, our early February warm-up, has actually given us an earlier bluebonnet season than normal," he said.
Since this bluebonnet season is not like what we've seen in recent years, you can enjoy the flowers a little extra this year.
"This is the first year in a while we've had those conditions and so we've had a lot of early growth," Womack said.
Many Texans grew up with the mindset that picking bluebonnets is illegal, but according to Rickey Dailey with TxDOT, that is only the case in state parks.
"It is not against the law to pick bluebonnets, but we encourage you not to," Dailey said. "Leave them for somebody else and don't trample them because somebody will come behind you and also want to take a picture and have their families in there."
If you plan on going in the blue fields this year, you many need to pay close attention to what's nearby the soil.
"Just remember that you may not be alone," Womack said. "So be careful, be on the lookout for snakes and other wildlife while you're out there."
TxDOT buys and sows about 30,000 pounds of bluebonnet seeds every year for the enjoyment of travelers. So, practice road safety and enjoy the lovely bluebonnets!
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