What Last Month's Winter Storm Means for Texas' Bluebonnet Season

Fortunately, for the countless Texans still dealing with the aftermath of last month's deadly winter storm, spring is just around the bend.

And in Texas, that means bluebonnets. Fields and fields of bluebonnets, dousing the state's roadways in shades of purple and blue.

But what does a historic deep-freeze mean for the beloved wildflower? Is there still hope for them this year?

Take a deep breath, because Texas horticulturists say yes.

"I don't think we are going to see a loss of bloom in bluebonnets this year. In fact, the freeze may normalize the bloom season," gardening expert Angela Chandler told CultureMap. "Before the freeze, I was becoming concerned at how many plants were running about a month ahead due to our unseasonably warm winter. By early February, there were things blooming in my yard and surrounding area that always bloom in March."

While it spelled disaster for the state's infrastructure, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin also assured Culture Map that the severe winter weather won't negatively affect the upcoming wildflower season. On the contrary, the snow actually protected the plants from the freezing temperatures.

"The snow acted as a great insulator and saved a lot of foliage that might have been damaged otherwise," Andrea DeLong-Amaya, director of horticulture for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, explained. "I am so glad for the snow!"

As for when Texans can expect to see bluebonnets popping up, DeLong-Amaya told CultureMap that late March and most of April will be primetime for wildflower peeping.

Phew! We don't know what we would have done if bluebonnet season was canceled.