Bluebonnets can be thought of as having a split personality.  Sometimes they’re rather cliquish and prefer to stay amongst their own in isolated enclaves, and sometimes … well … it’s just one “ginormous” party of Texas wildflowers!  It’s a pretty spectacular sight to behold either way.

On the one hand, it’s breathtaking to encounter a wide ocean of nothing but bluebonnets spreading across the Texas Hill Country.  But, if you’re anywhere near Brenham or Tow, the fields are awash with a raindow of color as Texas wildflowers mingle and party together as if it were Fiesta in San Antonio.

Fortunately, no one has to choose sides in the bluebonnet personality war.  If you’re in the mood for a more monochromatic landscape, seek out the clannish side of the bluebonnet’s personality.  But if you’re looking to take a walk on the wild side, just drive down the road a piece, and there will be a Texas wildflower party just waiting for the guest of honor to arrive — you!

 

The Party Crashers

When Texas wildflowers decide to party like it’s 1999, they typically run in packs. You’ll see some of the same party crashers along every roadside. The most notorious of them, of course, is the Indian Paintbrush. You’ll see this flashy lady strutting her flame-orange petals for all the world to see and she doesn’t believe in playing second fiddle to the bluebonnet. She’ll be there front and center vying for your attention especially if you have a camera in hand. She’s a pretty lady who definitely knows how to strike a pose.

Keeping a lower profile but sporting her own quiet and sophisticated beauty is the Pink Evening Primrose.  Preferring to stay low to the ground, the Primrose will definitely be courting your camera with her delicate pink and white hues. More dainty and demure than the Indian Paintbrush, the Evening Primrose’s most striking pose is with the light shining through her paper-thin petals.

This next party crasher might be small but she definitely packs a colorful punch and she’s the Winecup.  With all the blues, reds, and pinks showing in the field with the other wildflowers, the Winecup definitely adds a dash of color with her deep burgundy tones.

Another statuesque beauty is the Purple Prairie Verbena.  She’s a tall girl standing shoulder to shoulder with the Texas Bluebonnet.  With her clusters of small, delicate purple flowers, she’ll be another stunning model for your next photo shoot.

And a party wouldn’t be a party without a splash of lemony sunshine and the Sundrop is all sunshine.  Often mistaken as a yellow version of her cousin the Pink Evening Primrose, or Buttercup, the Sundrop is in a league of her own with her happy-go-lucky yellow petals.  She’s a bit camera shy at high noon, so be sure and catch her later in the evening when her delicate petals open and she’s more willing to pose for the camera.

In no way is this the definitive list of wildflower party crashers — just the A-listers.  Depending on which part of the state, the wildflower mix can and will be different.