See new wildflower reports for today at Texas Wildflower Haven for Brenham area and Hill country.
Photographer Gary Regner has the following report for Northern Hill Country for April 9, 2015
I drove over 300 miles on Thursday exploring Burnet, Llano, Mason and San Saba counties. I had high hopes for the Hill Country after 2 years of disappointing wildflower displays. We had ample fall and winter rains, but the rain faucet shut off in March and it became dry and unseasonably warm. The Hill Country has had many days in the upper 80’s and low 90’s and this has really stunted wildflower growth, especially bluebonnets. There are nice roadside displays, but fields of wildflowers (especially bluebonnets) are uncommon, and when they do spill over from the roadsides into fields and pastures, they are spotty and thin. If you are looking for grand displays of thick carpets of bluebonnets, they are not to be found this year. The exception is Muleshoe Bend and Turkey Bend parks on Lake Travis. They were spectacular last year with bluebonnets, and are nearly as good this year. Peak for roadside blooms from what I saw is now. With some good soaking rains it may last bit longer. Lake Travis peak should be soon. There were some nice displays in fields of other wildflowers, especially yellow groundsel and prickly poppies. Routes I traveled:
> IH 35 from Round Rock to Georgetown – some bluebonnets and greenthread along road. Rating: 2
> TX 29 W from Georgetown to Burnet – some scattered wildflowers, also a few patches of verbena in fields, but there are construction delays. There are some bluebonnets in fields around Liberty Hill, but not accessible. Rating: 0-1
> US 281 S from Burnet to Marble Falls – bluebonnets along the road and some fields just north of Marble Falls, few around the iconic stone house. At peak now. Rating: 2-3
> FM 1431 W to TX 29 – wildflowers along road, any fields with coverage are uncommon and spotty. Best from Kingsland north. Rating: 1-3
> Wirtz Dam Rd – light coverage along road extending in to fields occassionally, bluebonnets and bladderpod. Rating: 1-2
> TX 29 W from Jct FM 1431 to Llano – nice mixed wildflowers along road at peak now, Rating 2-3. Sometimes extending a bit into fields, but with only light, spotty coverage.
> Old Spanish Trail – very dissappointing, usually covered with paintbrush, only spotty light coverage. Rating: 0-2
> TX 71 W to Pontotoc – nice coverage along road, Rating: 3-4 to Valley Spring, Rating: 2-3 beyond that. Some fields of groundsel and prickly poppies, but bluebonnets are light and spotty when they extend into fields.
> FM 501 between Cherokee and Pontotoc – light mixed coverage along road; there are some prairie paintbrush mixed with the bluebonnets. Rating: 0-2
> FM 386 S from Fredonia to FM 2618 – light to moderate roadside coverage, not much in fields. Rating: 1-2
> FM 2618 E to FM 1900 – light to moderate roadside coverage, not much in fields. Rating: 1-2
> FM 1900 S to TX 29 – light to moderate roadside coverage, some fields with groundsel. Rating: 1-3
> TX 29 W from Jct FM 1900 to Art – good roadside coverage with bluebonnets and paintbrush, groundsel in fields. Rating: 2-3
> Art Hedwigs Hill Rd from Art to US 87 – good coverage along road and sometimes in fields with moderate coverage, mostly the north and south ends, little in between. Best area I saw all day. Lots of prickly poppies on south end. Rating: 1-4
> FM 152 from US 87 N to the Llano River – Roadsides vary with light to moderate coverage, spotty. Some phlox as well. Rating: 2-3
> US 87 between Art Hedwigs Hill Rd and Simonsville Rd – some large fields of groundsel and prickly poppies, also roadside bluebonnets. Some scattered prairie paintbrush and pincushion daisies. Rating: 2-4
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