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Experts at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center are predicting a mixed season for spring blooms this year due to the continuing drought in the Edwards Plateau and Trans Pecos, according to the center’s annual wildflower forecast.
“If predicting the weather is a challenge, then predicting the wildflower bloom for a big state like Texas is even more of a challenge,” says Andrea DeLong-Amaya, Wildflower Center horticulture director. “With fluctuations in weather and micro-climate scenarios (where one small geographical area may have received different weather than others), it’s sometimes hard to make a big sweeping prediction. This is one of those years.”
More rainfall has quenched the eastern part of the state, so DeLong-Amaya expects more blooms in areas such as Brenham and College Station. The western part of the state has been in particularly deep drought and may not see much of a show this spring.
Early- blooming wildflowers such as Texas bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) and Texas paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa) are especially likely to be impacted in the western region.
“Last fall’s drought influenced the number of little wildflower plants we have growing out there,” DeLong-Amaya said. “I think we’ve had enough precipitation to give them a boost and get them blooming but it’s too late in the game to germinate new seeds, which will affect the numbers of plants we have.”
If these early spring bloomers are a little more sparse, later spring and summer flowers have more room to flourish. Later- in-the-season wildflowers like firewheel (Gaillardia pulchella) or purple horsemint (Monarda citriodora) could show up stronger this year, if spring brings wetter weather.
Within the season, visitors to the Wildflower Center always will find beautiful displays of blooms. Staff, including professional horticulturists and a large team of handson volunteers, work tirelessly throughout the year to cultivate native Texas plants and encourage maximum flowers.
“Our experts know how to coax blooms in our gardens,” said Lee Clippard, Wildflower Center executive director. “Visitors to the Hill Country can guarantee a robust floral experience by visiting our gardens and trails this spring.”
One of the flowers that visitors can expect to see is Gregg's mistflower (Conoclinium greggii). Wildflower Center staff chose the plant - a member of the Aster family - as the Wildflower of the Year for 2025. The plant reaches up to two-feet tall with the small purplish-blue flowers clustering together to form puffy, cushion-like flower heads.
Gregg’s mistflower has a long blooming season (March to November in Texas), and is adaptable to various soils and light conditions. It plays a vital role in providing food for essential pollinators, often attracting impressive numbers of Queen butterflies throughout the summer and fall.
