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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Thursday - October 10, 2013
From: Sierra Vista, AZ
Region: Southwest
Topic: Herbs/Forbs, Wildflowers
Title: Pink wildflowers on DFW runways in April-June
Answered by: Guy Thompson
QUESTION:
I fly thru DFW quite often and have noticed in April-June timeframe the runways are dotted with a light pink colored wildflower. Have asked the DFW Customer Service folks for the name, ones I've asked don't have any idea. Would you be able to give me a few ideas what it might be?ANSWER:
Considering the color, the timing, and the location, there is little doubt that you are seeing Oenothera speciosa (Pink evening primrose). This is one of the most common of Texas spring wildflowers and generally appears on grassy sites such as roadsides (and airport runways). Thousands of individual plants may bloom simultaneously, yet each flower lasts but one day. Each plant develops a number of flower buds which open one at a time in a daily sequence.
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