Thanks to Lady Bird Johnson and the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, a road trip in the spring and summer can feel like driving through a dappled landscape of wildflowers of every hue. In Texas, we love our bluebonnets so much that springtime is a time when cars pull off the highway for a quick family photo.
One of the best methods for identifying wildflowers and herbs
Naturalist Andrea Debbink loves the sight of purple woodland flowers like wood violets, wild geraniums and wild blue phlox, which paint a purple carpet across the forest floor. In addition to being visually stunning, observing wildflowers can also inspire something in the human spirit, Debbink said.
"The most interesting wildflower I've learned about is fireweed," said Debbink, author of Flower Finding: Delight in the Splendor of Wild Blooms. "It's an incredible plant that gets its name from its ability to regrow quickly after a fire. When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, some scientists predicted it would take decades or more for plant or animal life to return to the area. Instead, just two weeks after the volcano erupted, fireweed sprouted in the dust. I think there's something inspiring about a plant that can do that."
If your love of wildflowers is limited to a cute boho print or other people's Instagram photos, consider taking a closer look at what's growing wild around you.
