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Wildflower Explosion in Llano - San Saba Counties Started by RichO at 05-13-2006 12:44 PM. Topic has 5 replies. WildflowerHaven... » Texas Wildflowe... » Hill Country » Wildflower Explosion in Llano - San Saba Counties Hunting Texas Wildflowers - New Book!

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05-13-2006, 12:44 PM RichO Joined on 02-15-2005 San Antonio, TX Posts 673 Wildflower Explosion in Llano - San Saba Counties Above normal rainfall in the past 30 days has created an explosion of wildflowers in the northern Hill Country counties of Llano and San Saba. The predominant colors are red and yellow. Areas along SH-16 and RR-501 near Cherokee look like scenes from a watercolor book. The red is mostly due to firewheels, but a few standing winecups and standing cypress are adding to the red paint. The yellow is mostly brown bitterweed mixed with thelesperma and coreopsis. Some bluebonnets, phlox and mealy sage were also seen. Fields of firewheels and what could also be red gaillardia have painted sections of SH-16 red. RR 501 and some sections of SH-16 have shoulders wide enough to pull over and get some closer views and photos. Along SH-16 you can also spot Standing Cypress (also known as Red Texas Star) blooming. The area of greatest bloom seems to be limited to the Llano - San Saba County line along SH-16 and just east of Cherokee along RR-501. RichO Hunting Texas Wildflowers    Report

05-14-2006, 6:35 PM Otis Mukinfus Joined on 03-26-2005 Arlington, TX Posts 25 Re: Wildflower Explosion in Llano - San Saba Counties Wow! Otis Mukinfus    Report

06-28-2006, 8:55 AM Anonymous Re: Wildflower Explosion in Llano - San Saba Counties I had the opportunity to make a quick stop through the Hill Country at the beginning of my vacation in late May, and was able to briefly view some of the sights.  I've updated my image host with a handful of images.   Also, I've added a few more images to my "backyard bluebonnet" page - can you believe that I still have bluebonnet blooms?!   I harvested ~4500 seeds from my planter, and after cutting off the mature pods, my "old" bluebonnets sprang forth with another round of blooms (yielding even more seeds).  I have one plant still going - it actually spouted in late Feb. - a few days after my first bloom opened on the other plants!   It began flowering in mid-May, about the time my others finally gave in.  This late bloomer will still have flowers in early July, and I will have had solid blooms for more than four months.   Meanwhile, next years' crop is well on its way to being established, as I have ~25 seedlings developing in the planter simply from seeds that fell in there naturally - after pods broke open before I could harvest them.   I'm thinking of doing my own "roadside beautification" project with all the seeds this fall at a location nearby in NW Houston.  Fun stuff! http://imageevent.com/mpurcell Enjoy, Bill.

06-29-2006, 7:48 AM RichO Joined on 02-15-2005 San Antonio, TX Posts 673 Nice work...did you? Very nicely done Bill, I am happy you got to see the wildflower displays. I see you also made it by Inks Lake SP. Did you hike up the trail to the waterfall? That is my favorite spot in Inks Lake SP...went there many times as a teenager and later brought my kids there. The entire trail was covered with wildflowers on both sides of the draw where the small creek runs through to the lake. About the bluebonnets...you should find out where TXDOT is not seeding and seed there...or see if there are spots in Houston where you can seed. There was a project in San Angelo to beautify one of the highways there, perhaps you could make contact with the Master Naturalist or Native Plant Society group in Houston to see if there is a project in the Houston area. Native Plant Society members often grow their own native plants and either sell them or donate them for use in gardens or land restoration projects.   RichO Hunting Texas Wildflowers    Report

06-29-2006, 9:16 AM Bill Purcell Joined on 06-29-2005 Posts 49 Re: Nice work...did you? Rich, Sorry about he previous post - I had forgotten to log in before I posted yesterday, so it showed up as 'anonymous.'   I didn't get a chance to do any hiking at Inks Lake - all my pix were taken in areas adjacent to Park Road 4.  I'm glad you mentioned that, though - I wasn't aware of the waterfall - I'd done a brief, self-conducted hike there a couple of years back, but apparently didn't select the "right" trail.  I guess I'll have to stop at the park HQ and get a map next time I visit so I can check it out.  Thanks for the tip! As far as the bluebonnets go, contacting the TX DOT and local Native Plant Society is probably a good idea ... it's probably best to coordinate with them.  There definitely aren't any BB's growing in the location I'm thinking about.  Firewheels are becoming pretty well established, and there's some scattered crimson clover, but that's it for the time being.  I'm still inclined to scarify and distribute the seeds myself, though - I guess there's the need to see "the kids" grow up, and have the satisfaction of seeing BB growing in the "wild" and knowing it was my through my efforts that they developed.  However, I realize that if a local constable passed by while I was out there tossing stuff around on the roadside, I could have some awkward questions to answer.  :) Take care, Bill.    Report

06-30-2006, 9:35 AM RichO Joined on 02-15-2005 San Antonio, TX Posts 673 Re: Nice work...did you? Bill, Did you use the "paper bag" technique to harvest the seeds from the pods? What method are you planning to use to scarify the seeds? I do not think there are any laws restricting the seeding of public areas with native plant seeds, but I would not be overly surprised if there were some local restrictions.    RichO Hunting Texas Wildflowers    Report

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