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Big wildflower year in the Texas panhandle? Started by Bill Purcell at 03-12-2007 1:15 PM. Topic has 3 replies. WildflowerHaven... » Texas Wildflowe... » West Texas » Big wildflower year in the Texas panhandle? Hunting Texas Wildflowers - New Book!

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03-12-2007, 1:15 PM Bill Purcell Joined on 06-29-2005 Posts 45 Big wildflower year in the Texas panhandle? In a similar vein to Rich's seasonal forecasts for the Hill County and Southeast Texas, I've been carefully monitoring the prospects for a possible wildflower boom in the Texas panhandle this spring/summer.  They've experienced a realtively wet winter, and many locations have had at least periodic snow cover.  The resultant snow melt will help early plant germination in the spring (now) as the moisture seeps slowly into the ground.  Also, the Climate Prediction Center is forecasting above normal precipitation in the region over the next three months for the southern high plains, and particularly for the northwestern panhandle and Llano Estacado. It's not unusual to see nice May-June wildflower displays in areas such as Palo Duro Canyon and Caprock Canyons State Park, and the previous data points hopefully signal an above-average season.  There are a few possibilities which really excite me, personally.  First, the potential for wildflower displays in the canyonlands, along with portions of northeastern New Mexico and the western panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma.  Black Mesa State Park in Oklahoma is gorgeous;  seeing the wildlife and blooming cholla cactus alone is worth the trip.  Second is the potential for intense "greening-up" of the tallgrass prairies.  While stormchasing back in '99, my brother and I discovered the verdant beauty of the Rita Blanca and Kiowa National Grasslands, as the green grasses waving in the breeze were the only sight for miles - all underneath the infinite skies out there, and the amazing cloudscapes that you'll only find on the high plains.  Although I haven't seen it as green since, I still find Dallam County to be one of my favorite places in Texas, even when the grasses are dry and brown. Finally, I'm excited about the prospects for storm chasing itself up there this summer.  Recent research has indicated that evapo-transpiration from vegetation can have a significant effect on local storm-scale processes, including updraft intensification and possibly even assisting in tornado production due to near-ground air parcels being saturated with water vapor.  Obviously that kind of thing is impossible to forecast so far in advance, but it's definitely worth a mental note.  There's nothing in the world that can compare to stepping outside the car on a remote road, shutting off the engine - then listening to the western meadowlarks and the slow, steady approach of thunder, and watching as a photogenic storm descends upon the prairies from the higher elevations.  The sweet smell of rain on the desert is an unexpected and overwhelming sensation.  All that, for me, is a slice of heaven, which I try to take in uninterrupted - save for the occasional click of a camera shutter. - Bill.        Report

03-12-2007, 4:05 PM RichO Joined on 02-15-2005 San Antonio, TX Posts 637 Re: Big wildflower year in the Texas panhandle? Bill, Thanks for the input. Two areas that I still want to investigate are Big Bend and the Panhandle. I attended Texas Tech for two years and the only thing I remember about the area were the dust storms, snow storms, and tornadoes.  Thanks to your input, my curiosity is peak again, especially about Palo Duro Canyon area. An area a bit further east that I think I might check out is the Possum Kingdom State Park region. That area sustained the worst of the grassland fires last summer, but received a good portion of fall and winter rain. This is usually the ingredients for a really good spring showing. I see you are also a weather nut like me. Although it is obvious you have much more experience chasing the weather than I do and probably more scientific knowledge about it. I have also been studying the relationship of evapo-transpiration of plants to climate. It worries me a bit that too many areas in the Hill Country are in danger of losing good grass cover. Those areas are either languishing into scrublands or being developed into asphalt and concrete lands. At some point the amount of evapo-transpiration becomes critical to holding off desertification. The last time this happened in Texas was the dust bowl days in the 1930s. RichO Hunting Texas Wildflowers    Report

03-12-2007, 7:06 PM Bill Purcell Joined on 06-29-2005 Posts 45 Re: Big wildflower year in the Texas panhandle? Rich, You're spot-on about the possibility for wildflowers in burn areas.   The fires themselves are a necessary part of nature's "replacement cycle," and the wildflowers reclaiming territory in the aftermath is an indication of the natural balance restoring itself after invasive (and usually water-hoarding) species have been temporarily eradicated - species which typically invaded after overgrazing or other irresponsible human-influenced activities. With all the media fear-mongering and political opportunism that occurs after every natural "disaster," I think very few folks understand the natural necessity for such phenomena as wildfires.  After all, prairie land stewards and Forest Service personnel set prescribed burns for a reason - often for a variety of reasons. Although I didn't see too many wildflowers at the time, I traveled much of the panhandle last May, driving through many of the areas that had burned a few months before.  Now, I certainly wouldn't pretend to deny that for the ranchers, livestock, and other critters out there - it would've been absolute hell on Earth as a wall of fire raced across the plains at 50+ mph.  As I drove north on Hwy. 273 one day between McLean and Lefors (Gray County), however, the longer-term benefits of the flames were undeniable.  They hadn't seen much rain during the spring, either - but the terrain was covered with bright green grasses;  the yuccas were growing back, some blooming;  roadside trees that had been basically cooked alive had new shoots reaching for the sky.  Just north of Lefors, I drove past the fire line - and suddenly, where the land had not burned, the landscape was brown and dry again - thirsting not for nourishment from water, but from fire. I value these discussions ... although you and I mutually understand and appreciate many of the same aspects of nature, this information will add to the "knowledge base" side of wildflowerhaven.com, and I certainly hope others will be able to benefit from the information as well. - Bill.    Report

03-13-2007, 10:54 AM RichO Joined on 02-15-2005 San Antonio, TX Posts 637 Re: Big wildflower year in the Texas panhandle? Knowledge is the key to unlocking the solution to a growing problem. Over 95% of the land in Texas is privately own. This means that if we hope to restore or properly manage the land, it will only come through informed land owners. In 2005, I joined the Texas Master Naturalist program. This is a state-wide program designed to train and activate a corps of volunteers dedicated to helping manage and restore our Texas lands. I joined the program mainly to gain knowledge to help me manage the property I have in the Hill Country. I thought I had a fairly informed view off nature, but the Texas Master Naturalist program has really opened my eyes to the changes that are occurring and have already occurred in much of our rangelands. I want my book and the companion websites to help in raising the awareness about the beauty of Texas and the danger we face of losing that beauty. There is much that can be done to that will be a boon to the rancher. A balanced rangeland includes a good mixture of native prairie grasses and native wildflowers. When you see one without the other or neither then there is likely a problem with the land. We can also make a difference in our cities and suburbs. This is a photo of the street near where I live. The photo was taken in 2002. Before the spring of 2003, the sign in the photo was removed by a construction crew and never replaced. A shopping mall was constructed on the right.  I have never seen the bluebonnets like this again as the median are now regularly cut throughout the year. The Ennis Garden Club works with the county maintenance crews and private land owners to insure roadsides and properties are mowed at the correct times to help maintain the beautiful wildflowers they have each year.  This is just one small example of how local groups can make a difference. I appreciate your input Bill and hope others will also contribute. RichO Hunting Texas Wildflowers    Report

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