Athena says… 
 
That she loves how much y’all love the Wildflower Center. But she also knows parking can fill up fast.  
 
Luckily, The Violet Crown Trail is Austin’s first and longest regional trail, connecting Zilker Park all the way to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, giving residents a car-free path to one of Austin’s most beloved destinations.  
 
You can bike, hike, and stroll on the trail to make your way down to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.                   
 
Have you taken the trail yet?

Next time you visit the Wildflower Center, take the Violet Crown Trail and see what’s blooming along the way. Check out our collaboration with Hill Country Conservancy at the link in our bio to learn more about the trail connection to the Center.

Y’all, the wildflowers aren’t quite ready to call it a season!

A wet spring and milder-than-usual temperatures have kept blooms going longer than expected along our research trails, and the display right now is something special. From a few lingering bluebonnets to drifts of lemon beebalm, black-eyed Susans, prairie verbena, Texas thistle, and more, there’s plenty of color out on the landscape.

Join Kyle among the blooms, learn why this spring has been so exceptional, and keep an eye out for a surprise wildlife sighting along the way.

Have you noticed wildflowers lingering longer than usual this year?

Plan your visit to explore our gardens and trails: wildflower.org/visit

#AustinTX #WildflowerCenter #TexasWildflowers

Which view would you rather have getting to the Wildflower Center? 

Bumper-to-bumper traffic, or a peaceful walk along the Violet Crown Trail?    

The Violet Crown Trail is a 13-mile urban greenway in Austin connecting Zilker Park to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. 

Saving your trip from parking stress and traffic.  

Instead it takes you through native Texas landscapes, fresh air and you will often see some of the same native texas plants that you’ll see again once you get to the Center! 

Next time you visit the Wildflower Center, take the Violet Crown Trail and see what’s blooming along the way. Check out our collaboration with Hill Country Conservancy to learn more about the trail connection to the Center. Watch the full video at the link in our bio.

#AustinTX

Think these two Texas natives look alike? You’re not alone.

Rhus lanceolata (Flameleaf sumac) and Sapindus drummondii (Western soapberry) can look surprisingly similar at first glance, but there are a few clues that make telling them apart much easier.

Look for:
🌿 Opposite leaflets and winged leaf stems on flameleaf sumac
🌿 Alternate leaflets and smooth, narrow leaf stems on western soapberry
🌿 Fuzzy red berries on flameleaf sumac
🌿 Translucent yellow-orange berries on western soapberry

Both are valuable native plants that provide food and habitat for wildlife.

Have you spotted either one?

#WildflowerCenter #NativePlants

Not every prairie is measured in acres. Join our Land Steward Leslie Uppinghouse for a tour of a pocket prairie at the Wildflower Center and learn how a thoughtfully designed planting can provide habitat, seasonal color and ecological benefits in a relatively small space.

Leslie shares tips for planning and maintaining a pocket prairie, from choosing species to managing the space over time. Whether you’re working with a large yard, a small corner of your landscape or navigating HOA requirements, gain some helpful tips for creating a habitat with native plants.

Some of the species featured in this pocket prairie include:
• Arabia petiolaris (Brazos rockcress)
• Senna lindheimeriana (Lindheimer’s senna)
• Muhlenbergia reverchonii (Seep muhly)
• Bouteloua dactyloides (Buffalograss)
• Bouteloua gracilis (Blue grama)
• Bouteloua curtipendula (Sideoats grama)
• Bouteloua rigidiseta (Texas grama)
• Phacelia congesta (Blue curls)
• Cirsium texanum (Texas thistle)
• Lindheimera texana (Texas yellowstar)
• Chaptalia texana (Texas silverpuff)
• Solanum triquetrum (Texas nightshade)
• Pleiacanthus spinosus (Texas skeleton plant)
• Calyptocarpus vialis (Velvetweed)
• Coreopsis linifolia (Threadleaf coreopsis)
• Heterotheca canescens (Hoary false goldenaster)
• Gaillardia pulchella (Firewheel)
• Monarda citriodora (Lemon beebalm)

What would you include in your pocket prairie?

#NativePlants #AustinTX

Looking for something to do this weekend? Join us Sunday, May 31, for a screening of Mabel (2024), an award-winning coming-of-age film about friendship, belonging and finding connection through the natural world.

With screenings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., complimentary popcorn 🍿 and the gardens just outside the auditorium doors, it’s a perfect way to spend an afternoon at the Wildflower Center.

🎟️ Tickets:
$12.50 members
$17.50 non-members

Grab your tickets at the link in our bio!

#AustinTX #ATXThingsToDo #ATXFilm

Brushing up on trail life, one bloom at a time.  
 
Meet Verbena glandularia, a Texas native wildflower currently putting on a show along the Violet Crown Trail near the Wildflower Center. It is low-growing, carries a honey-sweet fragrance, blooms well into May, and makes every other plant around it look better. The kind of neighbor everyone wants.  
 
Have you ever stopped to identify a plant on a trail? Drop a comment with what you found.

Next time you visit the Wildflower Center, take the Violet Crown Trail and see what’s blooming along the way. Check out our collaboration with @hillcountryconservancy to learn more about the trail connection to the Center. Full video at the link in our bio.

#AustinTX #NativePlants