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 Hunting Texas
Wildflowers (HTW-2006) contains 17 maps and detailed
descriptions of over 75 wildflower routes and locations covering the
Hill Country, East Central Texas, North Central Texas, and Southeast
Texas.
Don't wander aimlessly searching for Texas wildflowers; get
Hunting Texas Wildflowers and
easily find them. |
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Will 2008 Be Repeat of 2007?
Last year's wildflower season started on the heels of year long
drought, but ended with record rainfall which resulted in a once-in-a lifetime
bonanza wildflower season. The rainfall in February 2007 was well
below normal, but the rainfall in March was 300 to 600% above
normal. This sudden surge in rainfall in March resulted in what
resembled a desert bloom.
And the rain just kept coming through
most of 2007 until late August when it suddenly stopped. The driving
force for the increase rainfall last year was a moderate
El
Niño
weather pattern. El
Niño is
the name for an oscillation in the tropical Pacific ocean which usually
results in increased rainfall for the southern part of the United
States. The opposite to an El Niño is a La Niña which usually
results in drier conditions for southern part of the United States.
Beginning in August the moderate El Niño transitioned into a
moderately strong La Niña and thus
the abundance of rainfall quickly turned into a lack of rainfall.
As a result of the La Niña most of
Texas has been significantly below normal in rainfall since last
September. This condition usually does not bode well for a good
bluebonnet and early spring wildflower season. Bluebonnet seeds
germinate in the fall and thus are dependent on good fall rains.
Without average rainfall in the fall, there is usually a shortage of
bluebonnet seedlings.
There have been a few spots that
have managed to receive normal to near-normal rainfall in the fall
and winter (see
Fall Rainfall in Texas). I am hoping that those spots will
experience at least an average wildflower season. The current
NOAA
ENSO forecast calls for a La Niña to persist through Spring 2008 with
some weakening April-June 2008.
We will do our best to keep you
informed of the wildflower conditions. Check the forums for current
wildflower sighting reports. |
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WildflowerHaven Community provides the
following:
Wildflower Sightings:
Share your your wildflower sightings and experiences.
Growing Wildflowers: I hope you will get the desire to plant your
own wildflower garden. Share your success stories here or your requests for
assistance.
Identifying Wildflowers:
Found a bloom you cannot identify? Post it in this forum, someone might know
what it is.
Nature and Wildflower Photography: Need tips on capturing the
beauty of wildflowers with your camera? Or share your prize photos with
others.
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you register with a valid email. We are a NO SPAM zone. Your email is
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