Al Braden Photographer

Bluebonnet, Lupinus texensis From late March to mid April, the Bluebonnet attracts residents and tourists alike. Depending on the year, you might encounter some Bluebonnets, lots of Bluebonnets, or, more Bluebonnets than you can imagine. You’ll see pure stands, or mixtures with other early season varieties like Indian Paintbrush, Drummond Phlox, and White Prickly Poppy. The Texas Bluebonnet stands 6 to 18 inches in height with as many as 50 small pea-like flowers clustered on the stem, topped by a bright white cap. Multiple pea-like pods erupt from the stem, producing the seeds for the following season – or the next season that conditions are right for germination. The Bluebonnet likes a cool, moist fall to germinate. Six species of Bluebonnet grow in the state. All of them are designated as the Texas State Flower. Lupinus texensis is the most common species in the central Texas area. One of the early common names for the Bluebonnet was Wolf Flower, from the observation that it often thrives on sandy and poor soil. The Wolf Flower was thought to have ‘wolfed’ the nutrients from the soil, when in fact, as a legume it does an excellent job of fixing nitrogen in the soil. You may also hear it referred to as El Conejo for its white tip resembling a cottontail rabbit.

Indian Blanket, Gaillardia pulchella I can’t help having a favorite - Indian Blanket is that flower. Another name is Firewheel. Bright red with yellow tips, this member of the Aster family can cover large fields with stand-up-and-take-notice color. While there are many shades of Indian Blanket, I gravitate to the bight red ones, most common around Llano and Mason. This annual is native in much of Texas and into the Rocky Mountains. It thrives on dry sandy or limestone soils, growing one to two and a half feet tall, with flowers up to two inches across. It makes a lasting cut flower, so it can be a popular choice among gardeners. Its profusion of pollen and acres of blooms makes the Indian Blanket a boon for honey bees. Gaillardia suavis Fragrant gaillardia, also called Pincushion daisy or Perfumeball, dispenses with ray flowers all together. Just a bright red brown core and plenty of sweet perfume is all that it needs to attract bees for pollination. The flowers form at the top of two foot bare stalks, leaving a pom pom waving in the spring breeze. It is a stark contrast to the red and yellow splendor of its cousin the Indian Blanket or Gaillardia pulchella.

Indian Paintbrush, Castilleja indivisa The bright reds of Indian Paintbrush in the southern regions announce the coming of spring. Just imagine the plant dipped upside down into a bucket of red. Interestingly - see the close-up - the actual flowers are very small white two-petal cones scattered between the bright red bracts, those leaf-like elements within the flower head. Think of a poinsettia - bright red with the small flowers in the center. Indian Paintbrush has the same idea and uses lots of color to attract pollinating insects. The plants stand 6 to 18 inches tall in thick stands, often covering entire fields. This colorful annual – sometimes known as Scarlet Paintbrush, or Texas Paintbrush - is common throughout central Texas, beginning in March in areas like Luling, Cuero and Gonzales and then moving north with the season. They prefer sandy soils and grow well among grasses. Also thriving on roadsides, they’ll line highways for miles with scarlet. An area will typically bloom for a couple of weeks. Castilleja integra Also called Wholeleaf Indian Paintbrush, this native is a cousin to the bright red Indian Paintbrush - our first star rated flower. Its colors can range from red to orange to yellow. A perennial, it has the advantage of an established root system and also partly parasitic, penetrating the roots of neighboring grasses to use some of their nutrients.

Coreopsis nuecensis Coreopsis tinctoria Coreopsis wrightii Three members of the Coreopsis family are prominent in the central Texas landscape. Coreopsis tinctoria and Coreopsis wrightii are called Goldenwave, Plains Coreopsis or Golden Thickseed. They make the transition from spring red to yellow dramatic. Identify Coreopsis wrightii, at the right, by the small bracts behind the flowers. Coreopsis nuecensis, or Crown Thickseed, has similar shape and eye-catching appeal, but lacks the brown center on its petals. With the right growing conditions, Coreopsis can dominate the landscape making the earlier reds and blues look like a warm-up act. This upright sprawling annual grows in vast fields one to three feet high. Spring wildflowers overwhelmed early travelers to Texas, with fields of Coreopsis, in particular, extending for miles. A field in the Columbus area captured my attention as I photographed until the end of good light. They are annuals, preferring moist, sandy soil. Native Americans used them as a source of red dye and boiled drink. The Lakota and Zuni boiled the flowers, creating a red drink to “strengthen the blood.”

White Prickly Poppy, Argemone albiflora Tissue-thin flowers dancing in the wind are White Prickly Poppies. Growing on slender stalks from two to four feet tall, these beauties produce flowers three inches across. They survive in heavily grazed fields. With their bitter and toxic sap and prickly leaves, even starving cattle will leave them alone. With this defense, they can often cover large areas producing beautiful scenes of white flowers moving gracefully on the slightest breeze. Of course, this delicate flower offers a good challenge to the photographer. White Prickly Poppies were quickly adopted in European gardens in the early 1830’s as an exotic New World plant. In Texas, they never achieved this popularity, in part because they were considered so common. They quickly wilt when cut, diminishing their value in flower arrangements. Poppies like rocky or sandy soils and roadsides. An annual flower, they bloom most intensely in early April and May.

Antelope Horn, Asclepias asperula Known as Antelope Horn, Spider Milkweed or Green-flowered Milkweed, this perennial is native across the region. The curved seed pods suggest the shape of antelope horns. The plant attracts large numbers of bees and butterflies and hosts the larva of Monarch and Queen butterflies. It is toxic to livestock and humans, and it can cause skin irritation.

Baby Blue Eyes, Nemophila phacelioides This small, annual flower is native to southeast Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Growing low to the ground, it spreads beautiful white-centered blue flowers in all directions. It likes moist, fertile soils and part shade. As a result, it blooms early in the season, starting in February and is gone by summer.

Centaurea americana Reaching up to five feet for the sun, this flower sure looks like a thistle. Technically, it’s not, however, lacking the prickly spines that define the thistle family. Other common names include the Shaving Brush, American Basket-flower, or just plain Basket-flower. Perhaps this name identifies its most distinguishing characteristic - a tightly interwoven basket of pale bracts that seem to support the flower head. Before the flower heads open, it is tightly bunched, erupting straight out of the basket, and giving the appearance of an old-fashioned shaving brush. The stem branches, creating a layer of flower heads on each plant, each with delicately branched disk flowers. The flower heads can reach four to five inches in diameter, providing a highlight for May and June.

Berlandier's Primrose, Calylophus berlandieri Also called Berlandier’s Sundrops, in recognition of early Texas botanist Jean Louis Berlandier, or just Sundrops. These flowers grow in clumps up to a foot and a half high. The leaves are narrow with small spines. You can find these blooming any time from March to September when the conditions are just right. Though heat tolerant, they prefer moist sandy soils and part shade.

Bitterweed, Helenium amarum var. badium Dense mounds of this native annual drooping yellow flower (aka Basin Sneezeweed) can cover wide areas. The entire plant is a bitter aromatic - a pox upon a field. Cattle refuse to eat it and honey produced from it can be bitter and unusable. Overgrazed pastures are sometimes covered with it.

Black-Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta Brown-eyed Susan or Black-eyed Susan - you decide. I see brown, but black may be the more popular common name. Either way, it brings color to the late spring and heralds the coming of summer. Growing two to three feet in height, its two to three-inch flowers remind me of a daisy. It is native across most of the United States and Canada, blooming from June into the summer. This flower’s color, shape and number of flower petals are all highly variable - like the Mexican Hats - producing a wide bouquet of flowers that go by the name of Brown-eyed Susan. The narrow-petal versions are younger flowers whose petals will grow broader with the season. I chanced upon this family near Round Top where many of the flower’s diverse relatives, in many sizes, ages and colors were getting together.

Blackfoot Daisy, Melampodium leucanthum Also called Blackfoot Daisy or Rock Daisy, this cheerful perennial grows in wide clumps one to two feet across and only about six inches high. It thrives on dry, rocky, or caliche soils and is heat and drought resistant. You can find it blooming from March till November. It attracts bees and butterflies.

Blue Curls, Phacelia congesta Bunches of the most tiny flowers - roughly a quarter inch across - adorn the branching tips of this native herb. You might also hear them called Caterpillars or Fiddle-neck. They can grow to three-feet high and form large colonies. The Fiddle-neck name refers to the shape of the bud clusters forming before they burst out in color. It flowers from March through May.

Blue Mealy Sage, Salvia farinacea Also called Mealycup sage, this perennial herb forms large clumps of pale blue or purple flowers waving in the Hill Country breeze - adding a scent of sage to the air. The flower stalks range approximately two feet tall and bloom anytime from April to October.

Blue-Eyed Grass, Sisyrinchium sp A member of the iris family, this perennial herb likes dry soil with part shade and can grow in dense clumps about a foot tall. You can find it along roadsides and in hillsides and meadows during April and May. Many species of Sisyrinchium have similar appearance and hybridize - making these beautiful flowers hard to identify with certainty.

Buffalo Gourd, Cucurbita foetidissima A member of the Cucumber family, these huge vines can spread up to 30 feet across, producing tennis ball sized yellow gourds. This perennial will cover roadsides and fields throughout Texas, blooming from May into September with bright five-lobed flowers. They are also known as Stink Gourd.

California Poppy, Eschscholtzia californica Pictures and photos of California Poppies forming rich fields on the slope of Mount Franklin in El Paso, Texas - on those years where there is plenty of rain. The fields can lie dormant for years, and then with a rainy spring - the desert explodes into yellow and orange during March and April near the Trans Mountain Highway in El Paso.

Chocolate Daisy, Berlandiera lyrata Also known as Soft Green Eyes for the appearance of its mature seed pod, this bright daisy spreads the aroma of chocolate in spring - just pluck the rays from the flower to notice the scent. A perennial growing up to two feet tall, it can bloom from April till fall. The flower name honors early Texas explorer and botanist, Jean-Louis Berlandier.

Dayflower, Commelina erecta A delicate, elusive flower that blooms for just a day. It has two blue petals, less than an inch across, with a nearly invisible white third petal The stem is delicate and often uses other plants for support. Some call it Widow’s Tears - the same common name as the False Dayflower at left. It prefers part shade, so you’ll find it near tree lines, blooming from May into early fall.

Desert Marigolds, Baileya multiradiata. Desert Marigolds are a sight at Big Bend Ranch State Park and throughout the west Texas region following spring rains.

Engelmann's Daisy, Engelmannia peristenia Named for George Engelmann, who described hundreds of Texas plants in the mid-nineteenth century. A native perennial, it grows about two-feet tall and branches near the top to produce a profusion of blossoms in the early spring. You won’t find this flower in active pastures - cattle love it.

Eryngo, Eryngium leavenworthii The Eryngo is spiky from head to foot, from flower to leaf. Though strikingly beautiful, there is no part of the plant that is safe to touch.

False Dayflower, Tinantia anomala Widow’s Tears is another name for this expressive native annual, a member of the Spiderwort family. The plant prefers shade and moist soil. It’s leaves grow through the winter, preparing it for early spring blooms from March through May. The large lavender petals are a powerful attractant for bumblebees. It’s best to look for it in woodlands and stream beds.

Foxglove, Penstemon cobaea These showy, tubular flowers can be profuse along Hill Country roadsides and attracts moths for pollination. It goes by many common names, including, Prairie penstemon, Cobaea penstemon, Large-flowered beardtongue, Foxglove penstemon and more. These perennial herbs like open hillsides and limestone soil. Blooms begin in April.

Gay Feather, Liatris elegans Beautiful stalks of Gay Feather celebrate the coming of fall in the Texas Hill Country.

Horsemintm, Monarda citriodora Plains Horsemint has many common names, similar to its cousin the Spotted Beebalm. Among them are Lemon Beebalm, Purple Horsemint, Lemon Mint and Lemon Horsemint. By whatever name you choose, it is a dramatic beauty along roadsides and in fields with its lavender, pink or purple flower heads towering above the early grasses. The multi-layered flowers produce seeds at each level. They attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds beginning in May. It is native to Texas and much of Plains Horsemint the south central United States.

Huisache Daisy, Amblyolepis setigera Also known as the Honey Daisy or Butterfly Daisy, this golden gem grows close to the ground, six inches to a foot tall. It often forms thick stands of yellow and mixes well with other early flowers, like Bluebonnets. It is a native Texas annual, preferring dry sand, caliche or loam soil and part shade. It is a powerful attractant for bees and butterflies.

Larkspur, Delphinium carolinianum A member of the buttercup family, Larkspur is a perennial herb growing two to three feet tall. Its colors range from pure white to pale blue to the bright blue flowers on the next page. All parts of the plant are toxic and can cause respiratory paralysis and even death. You can find them blooming from March through June in partly shaded locations.

Lazy Daisy, Aphanostephus skirrhobasis A native annual growing from one to two feet high with one to two-inch flowers, the Lazy Daisy is shown here with Bluebonnets and Thelesperma. It prefers dry, sandy, or caliche soil and blooms beginning in March. These flowers close through the night and morning, opening for the sunny mid-day.

Mexican Hat, Ratibida columnifera Buoyant! Delicious flowers bouncing on slender stalks. The plant is multi-branched; with leaves at the bottom and bare stalks above. The Mexican Hat has a dozen to as many as 30 flowers on a single plant. Colors vary, as do the number of drooping rays surrounding the central disk – as few as three - and I’ve seen up to nine. Mexican hats are a perennial herb, native across much of western North America. The Hats tend to come out profusely in May in central Texas, but you may find single plants or small clusters still blooming in fall. They are drought tolerant, love dry limestone soils and withstand competition. They’ll grow from seeds, best planted in the fall. Over the years, the leaves were used to create a tea-like drink as well medicinals for stomachache, snakebite and poison ivy. The boiled flower was used as a headache remedy. Mexican Hats eschew uniformity, ranging in color from pure yellow rays to mixed brown yellow to brown with yellow edges. The number of rays can vary from three up to nine, producing a variety of flower shapes.

Missouri Primrose, Oenothera macrocarpa This delicate Hill Country wildflower likes to awaken with the morning dew. It dries and fades in the afternoon sun.

Morning Glory, Ipomoea lindheimeri The brilliant blue trumpet is also known as Lindheimer’s Morning Glory, honoring this early Texas botanist. Its flowers bloom in one day, opening with the morning sun and closing by midday. A perennial vine, it climbs or trails low along the ground. You’ll find it scattered throughout the Edwards Plateau in stream beds and draws, blooming April through October. Morning Glory, Ipomoea cordatotriloba A beautiful morning bloomer with a deep purple heart, this vine is also called Purple Bindweed or Tie Vine. It climbs, or can trail up to 15 feet, producing fresh flowers each morning that fade with the afternoon sun. A perennial, it is common throughout central Texas and loves climbing on fences, blooming from April to December. Goat-Foot Morning Glory, Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis This beautiful specimen blooms along the sandy Gulf Coast of Texas.

Mountain Pink, Centaurium beyrichii Similar in color and shape to the Texas Star (pg. 94), these flowers are much smaller - about half an inch across - and more densely packed. Intensely branched from a common root, a cluster of Mountain Pink looks like a snow cone planted on a dry limestone slope. An annual bloomer, you’ll find it from May into July. Also called Meadow Pink, Catchfly or Quinineweed.

Night Shade, Solanum elaeagnifolium Widespread and persistent, the Silverleaf Nightshade begins blooming in April and is still seen in large stands in October. This native Texas perennial also goes by the names of White Horse Nettle, Trompillo and Tomato Weed. Looking closely at the pronounced yellow stamens - and thinking of the name - yes this is a cousin of the tomato. Careful though, this persistent plant - and its small fruit - are poisonous.

Phlox, Phlox drummondii The bright red of Drummond Phlox can extend to the horizon. This native Texan is an annual - typically low to the ground at six to 12 inches in height - though it can grow to two feed in some locations. This Phlox comes early and plays well with others, often mixing with fields of Coreopsis or Bluebonnets. Its blooms, clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers branched at the end of a short stalk, begin in March and can stay into June. Mixed with these Phlox is the Crown Thickseed or Coreopsis nuecensis. Though velvet red is the most dramatic color, Drummond Phlox can range from white to pink, even peach and lavender. The flowers are about an inch across, beginning as five-petaled trumpets and flattening as they mature. They prefer well-drained sandy soils, slightly on the acid side, but seem to grow in a wide range of conditions. These plants were first collected and sent to Europe for cultivation in 1835 by the pioneering botanist Thomas Drummond. He collected a variety of colors, which were cross bred in England to produce an array of exotic ‘New World’ garden plants.

Primrose, Oenothera speciosa Tissue thin and delicate, the Pink Evening Primrose is also called the Showy Evening Primrose, Pink Lady, Show Primrose, Mexican Evening Primrose or the Pink Buttercup. By any name, these unmistakable blossoms brighten the early spring, beginning in February in southern areas and lasting into July in some regions. This Texas perennial reaches a foot and a half tall with flowers up to two inches across. It colonizes readily, producing large stands. Its native range is from northern Mexico, through Texas and up to Nebraska. Oenothera caespitosa A showy flower combines the delicacy of white poppy petals with the heart of a primrose. Blooms open in late afternoon for moths to pollinate at night. By midday, it withers. These flowers like open areas, forming dense colonies with two inch wide flowers on very low stalks. Lateral roots allow it to grow perennial clusters, blooming from April into August. Other names include Gumbo Evening Primrose and Fragrant Evening Primrose.

Rain Lilly, Cooperia pedunculata A surprise two inch spring rain brought forth another surprise: in about three days, bright fields of Rain Lilies appeared. They are also called Prairie Lilies or Hill Country Rain Lilies. The Wildflower Center’s Native Plant Database describes the flowers as “3 petals and 3 sepals, all white” and up to two inches across. They form seed pods in a few days and are then gone, awaiting another strong rain. Perennial, blooming March through August.

Red Standing Cypress, Ipomopsis rubra Standing up to five feet tall, this red rocket can be a real show stopper. In fact other common names include: Flame Thrower, Texas Plume , Red Texas Star and Red Gilia. When conditions are right, it can make large stands of bright red. A slender, unbranched biennial, it prefers dry sandy or gravely soils - often along road cuts - blooming from April into August.

Yellow Rock Nettle, Eucnide bartonioides I've found the beautiful Rock Nettle along the cliff edges along the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo del Norte following the River Road in Big Bend Ranch State Park.

Rosinweed, Silphium gracile The summer-blooming flower was found near Round Top and along the roadways north of Columbus in the late springtime. Its fascinating flower structure is attractive to bees and butterflies. This native plant is a perennial growing three to six feet tall and producing striking two to three-inch flowers.

Skeleton Plant, Lygodesmia texana This elaborate flower blooms but a few hours in the morning - its delicate structure soon exhausted by the sun. A perennial growing 12 to 15 inches tall, it is also known as the Purple Dandelion, Flowering Straw or Milk Pink. Native to the Edwards Plateau and west Texas, it likes well-drained limestone soils and begins blooming in April.

Skullcap, Scutellaria drummondii A member of the mint family, it often forms clumps up to 12 inches tall with blossoms up to an inch long. The crest - or upper lip - helps identify them from other mints. They are an annual herb thriving in well drained limestone or clay. You can find them blooming from March through May in the right location.

Spiderwort, Tradescantia occidentalis A popular Texas perennial, three blue-violet petals and a central arrangement of six bright yellow stamens identify the Prairie Spiderwort. The plant can reach two feet high and have clusters of flowers at the end of its branches. There are many similar species of Spiderwort - and they freely hybridize - making positive identification difficult. They’ll grow well in a wide variety of soils.

Spotted Beebalm, Monarda punctata A cousin of the Plains Horsemint, the Spotted Beebalm is also called Spotted Horsemint and simply Horsemint. It is an aromatic perennial growing up to three-feet tall with spotted flowers in multiple layers separated by bracts which resemble frosted leaves. Cattle and wildlife leave it alone. It has been used to treat backache, fever and chills.

Sunflower, Helianthus annuus Named the Common Sunflower - and it is very common – I resist the label. Sunflower is a stunning plant, growing to ten feet tall in often massive tangles. Its heavy stalk branches many times, producing easily a hundred flowers on a single plant. They’ll bloom in waves along the plants stems, each tracking the sun during the course of the day. This Star signals the end of spring though it will continue blooming into fall. An annual herb, the Sunflower likes dry disturbed clays or heavy sands and thrives along roadways. Sunflowers have long been cultivated into giant varieties for its seeds, used in breads, snacks, salads, and a long list of medicinals. Helianthus debilis A close cousin of the Common Sunflower, this delicate flower has a much lighter structure and stems. It also goes by the name of Cucumber-leaf sunflower based on the wide-leaf shape that distinguishes it from some other similar appearing flowers. This plant reaches three to six feet tall and loves sandy soils.

Thelesperma, Thelesperma filifolium Known also as Greenthread, this native annual likes dry, sandy or gravel soil. Growing one to three feet in height, it branches at the base producing multiple stems and flowers per plant. In years with abundant rainfall, it can cover large areas with bright yellow. It is such a productive bloomer that it is widely included in the highway department seeding program throughout the region.

Thistles are common in the Texas landscape - in fact they have a real Texas look about them: colorful, spiny and able to live through about anything. But those who look like cousins may not be. I searched through the Native Plant Database, looking for the very common Nodding Thistle featured here. Finally, the story came together - it is an invasive Old World plant, not a native. Other plant varieties on the following pages, like the Texas Thistle and Yellow Thistle are native. Though native, the American Star Thistle, or Basket Flower - scientifically speaking - is not really a Thistle. As usual, the botany gets complex, even for flowers you see along the roadsides and fence lines that look similiar. Cirsium texanum A native biennial, the Texas Thistle produces single bright flowers on top of stems two to five feet tall. It has a distinct green ‘vase’ from which the flower explodes. Drought tolerant, it blooms from April into August. It is a favorite of bumblebees, birds and butterflies and it’s seeds are popular with Goldfinches. Cirsiuim horridulum The Yellow Thistle is a most fearsome plant, spiny from top to bottom, yet with the most delicate flower head that emerges from the spine-protected buds. It can grow from one to more than five feet tall in dense stands that can dominate overworked pastures. It can spread rapidly and has a deep, tenacious root. Cattle stay clear, while butterflies enjoy it. It plays host for the larva of the Little Metalmark butterfly. Carduus nutans The Nodding Thistle is nonnative and spreading widely along Texas roadsides. It is a favorite of butterflies and bees, but can be a problem in depleted pastures. Ranchers hate this invasive species. It can grow in such dense stands that only snakes and insects seem to penetrate. The plants grow up to six feet tall with flower heads two or three inches across. A biennial, it flowers from May through July.

Trumpet Vine, Campsis radicans June is heralded by these bright trumpets, also known as Trumpet Creeper or Cow Vine. An aggressive vine that follows fence lines and other vegetation, it sometimes reaches over 30 feet in height. It is native from Texas to New York and Ontario, yet in the southeast it is so aggressive that it’s called Hellvine or Devils Shoestring. The waxy flowers reach over three inches in length and are followed by six inch seed pods in late season.

Turk's Cap, Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii A delightful red accent along streams and damp shaded areas, this hibiscus-type flower never opens, letting its stamen protrude for pollination. Its name recalls a Turkish fez and goes by many other names, such as: Texas Mallow, Mexican Apple, Red Mallow, Turkscap, Wax Mallow, Sleeping Hibiscus, Bleeding Hearts and more. A perennial shrub, typically three feet high and wide, it blooms from May into late fall.

Verbena, sp. Genus Verbena contains roughly 250 species originating in Asia and the Americas. I find different species all over Texas and have a difficult time with identification. I believe I'm not alone in this.

Violet Ruellia, Ruellia nudiflora Also known as the Wild Petunia or Violet Wild Petunia, this perennial takes advantage of rains, producing fresh blooms when conditions permit from April into the fall. The rich violet flowers form in clusters along the stem, open at sunrise and fall off in the afternoon sun, only to be replaced by others the next day. The plants are typically one to two feet tall.

Wild Bergamot, Mondrda fistulosa This beautiful wildflower is a summer bloomer, that enjoys wet meadows and ditches of East Texas.

Wine Cup, Callirhoe involucrata The Merlot-colored blossoms, only an inch or so across, have a delicate white center, attracting honey bees and butterflies. Rich in color, the Wine Cup is sometimes called the Poppy Mallow. The Wine Cup is a perennial herb, spreading like a vine to three feet across. Flower stems raise up from these runners to a height of eight to twelve inches. Here flowers top the bare stems, holding the Wine Cup in just the right position for a spring toast. Native Americans found both food and medicine in its starchy root. The blooming season begins in March and can continue into June.

Yellow Bells or Trumpetflower, Tecoma stans These beautiful yellow flowering shrubs thrive on the mountain foothills of Big Bend National Park.

Yellow Coneflower, Rudbeckia grandiflora Yellow Coneflowers stands three to five feet tall with drooping yellow rays hanging from its flower head. Other names include the Tall Coneflower and the Rough Coneflower. Bees, butterflies and a variety of beetles feed on the nectar and pollen of this plant, while the walking stick feeds on the plant itself. Its flowers grace fields and roadways from April into August.

Here is a collection of blue/violet Texas wildflowers.

Here is a collection of green Texas wildflowers and plants.

Here is a collection of orange Texas wildflowers.

Here are pink wildflowers found across Texas.

Here are red wildflowers found across the desert areas of Texas.

These are white Texas wildflowers.

Here are yellow Texas wildflowers.

Pictures and photos of the spring of 2010, an astonishing year for Central Texas Wildflowers. A moist winter and early spring created the perfect conditions for wildflowers throughout the reqion. There was an explosion of Indian Paintbrush followed by Bluebonnets and White Poppies. Soon the Indian Blankets and Thistles arrived along with countless Daisies, Coreopsis, Yellow Cone Flowers and Sunflowers. Many lesser known wildflowers also filled the fields in this remarkable springtime in Central Texas.

Here are some bright bouquets of mixed Texas wildflowers.