Natural History Wanderings

Wildflower Haven has the following report for the Brenham area for  3/20/2014.

I saw wind flowers everywhere, the Indian paint brush seemed farther along than the bluebonnets and there was already lots of “B” cabbage along the roads and in some fields.  All the ponds are full of water which is always good to see.  It looks to me that the 2014 bluebonnet season here will be average to pretty good (no science just my guess) and prime time for the bluebonnets is at least two weeks away unless the weather takes another weird turn.

The field in front of the church at Whitehall along FM362 has been cut in half for anew fire house being constructed.  The rest of the field has early paintbrush and bluebonnets.

At CR2 and CR320 there is a nice hillside of bluebonnets that are 30% covered.  On the left side of CR2 just before TX6 there is a promising bluebonnet field.  The TxDot bluebonnets on along TX6 are showing nicely in both directions for a couple miles from CR2.  The big field with the hay bales that was so good last year looked dry and bare.

Washington-on-the-Brazos had better bluebonnets near the entrance than I have seen in a few years with some phlox, blue eyes, paintbrush and sandy bluebonnets.

FM1155 to FM912 had some nice side-road bluebonnet patches.  Further along on FM1155 there is a nice patch of bluebonnets and paintbrush in front of an old building and split-rail fence.  The road-side paintbrush and bluebonnets continue FM1155 into Chappell Hill but the bad news is there is highway construction stating at Dillard Road with on and off delays into Chappell Hill.  On the right of FM11 coming down a hill there is a wonderful yellow ranch field that makes a terrific photo op.  I’m not sure what the wildflowers are?  FM2447 with two exceptions is pretty boring.  The first big sweeping curve out of Chappell Hill has a BIG live oak tree surrounded by bluebonnets.

At the covered bridge (about two further) this isn’t much showing but if you drive through the bridge to the top of the hill and bare right there is a half acre field of blue eyes.

I think you can skip my usual FM1371 loop along Gibbs, etc.  There was very little showing.  It looked pretty dry and not much hope for a big show.

The TxDot bluebonnets along US290 to Burton are looking good along the north road sides that the face the south.  The south side looks to be a week or so behind.

Scenic 390 has good road-side paintbrush and bluebonnet patches Burton to Independence.  I checked “THE” field along Zimbilski Road and I could see bluebonnets from the road so it could be good again.  Quail Run Road back to 390 had some nice yellows along the road and in some fields.  Old Baylor was looking good with blue eyes, grape hyacinth, wind flowers, paintbrush and bluebonnets. Scenic 390 from Independence back to TX105 had a few nice spots but looked a bit dry and wasn’t as good as the part described above.

See photo links at:  First day of Spring & what I saw today in the Brenham area.

Related articles

• Brenham Texas Wildflower Update 3/19/14 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
• Brenham Texas Wildflower Update 3/20/14 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)