#20 Postcard Trivia 4.3.18
It's wildflower time in Texas! This postcard from 1960 features a beautiful field of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush somewhere in the Dallas area (no specific location is given.) The cabin may not be there now and the field may be covered with houses and yards instead of wildflowers. But there are still many areas of Texas where travelers can enjoy a stunning landscape of bluebonnets, and other colorful wildflowers. The Texas Department of Transportation has maintained a Wildflower Program along state highways since 1932. Strategic mowing of the highway right of ways (over 800,000 acres) ensures that wildflowers have a chance to thrive and spread year after year. There are over 5000 species of wildflowers in Texas and five different varieties of bluebonnets are listed as the official state flower.
The Texas Department of Transportation sows how many pounds of wildflower seeds along highways each year?
A. 500 pounds B. 30,000 pounds C. none
Hover over the image above or touch image to reveal answer.
Here are some links to great places to enjoy Texas wildflowers and learn more about them:
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas in Austin. Founded by Lady Bird Johnson in 1982.
Wildseed Farms, Fredericksburg, Texas. This is the nation's largest working wildflower farm with over 200 acres. See photos below.
Ennis Bluebonnet Trails, April 1 - 30, 2018. Ennis is the Official Bluebonnet City of Texas.
By the way, did anyone else have to collect, press, and catalog cuttings from 50 different varieties of Texas wildflowers as a required 5th grade project?!