AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, March 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Native plant experts at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center predict a varied season for blooms this spring, due to the uneven rainfall across the Southwest and ongoing drought in several regions. The Center also announced this year’s Wildflower of the Year as Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), a perennial evergreen vine with profuse, showy yellow flowers.
“In a state as geographically vast and varied as Texas, it’s rare that we can make a forecast that suits the whole state,” says Andrea DeLong-Amaya, the Center’s horticulture educator. “We have wild fluctuations in weather and lots of microclimate scenarios, and this year’s bloom season will be just as varied as that.”
“We’ve all seen spots where plants seem to be thriving in an otherwise not-so-hospitable landscape,” says Kyle Cheesborough, the Center’s new director of gardens and collections. “This could be the result of microclimates created via irrigation practices, ambient heat from hardscapes, and other cultural maintenance practices. For similar reasons, we can also think of most residential gardens as microclimates, because each homeowner does things a bit differently, whether it’s how often they irrigate or how much tree cover their yard has. The same things happen in nature and impact blooming plants.”
If 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. Additionally, the tough, woody Carolina jessamine – our Wildflower of the Year – is already putting on a spectacular show both visually and fragrantly, showcasing how species often left out of the ‘wildflower’ conversation can be more consistent in their spring performance.
“We may just have to look a little harder for bluebonnets on the side of the road this year in many locales,” adds DeLong-Amaya. “We’re hopeful for more spring rain to bring out the later-blooming flowers. Bluebonnets are great, but the show gets even better as the spring season progresses.”
But there’s one failsafe way to get those annual bluebonnet photos – visit the Wildflower Center. Within the season, visitors to the Wildflower Center always will find beautiful displays of blooms. Staff, including professional horticulturists and a large team of hands-on volunteers, work tirelessly throughout the year to cultivate native Texas plants and encourage maximum flowers.
Overall, though, there’s no need for panic, says DeLong-Amaya. “I’ve never seen a year where nothing is blooming. That just doesn’t happen. We can always expect some spring wildflowers.”
Also, the Wildflower Center is excited to announce that it has named Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) as the Wildflower of the Year. The evergreen vine reaches up to 20 feet long and can serve as an ornamental evergreen screen in the landscape, with the bonus of robust, showy yellow blossoms. The plant is a low-maintenance, dependable garden performer.
Wildflower Center staff chose Carolina jessamine as the Wildflower of the Year because of its sweet fragrance, adaptability to various soils and light conditions, and its vital role in providing food for essential pollinators and its ability to bloom off and on throughout the growing season.
For more information about this wildflower season, visit the Wildflower Center’s Texas Wildflower Central webpage.
####
To download high-resolution wildflower photos, please visit this link
About The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the State Botanic Garden & Arboretum of Texas and welcomes more than 276,000 guests annually to its 284 acres of gardens, trails and exhibitions, thus fulfilling its mission of inspiring the conservation of native plants. As a fully self-funded unit of The University of Texas at Austin, the Wildflower Center’s investments in science, conservation and education include a native seed bank, a comprehensive database of North American native plants, and research programs in collaboration with The University. The Center is the embodiment of Mrs. Johnson’s environmental legacy. “The environment is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest,” she said. “It is the one thing all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.”
Scott Simons
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
ssimons@wildflower.org
Visit us on social media:
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
