Did you know Texas was the first state to plant flowers along the highway?
The Wildflower Program was created in 1932 not only to beautify your commute, but also to stabilize soil, provide reliable ground cover, and reduce maintenance and litter along roadways.
TxDOT sows about 30,000 pounds of wildflower seeds annually in observation of the program. The flowers also allow workers to mow along the highways less frequently, which provides habitats for 900+ animal species.
These efforts were lauded by Lady Bird Johnson, who provided grants to TxDOT for its work and spearheaded the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 to help make the initiative more widespread across the nation.
Last year, we asked our readers what their favorite native flower was. We can’t say we’re surprised that 67% of y’all chose bluebonnets, followed by 13% of you favoring the pink evening primrose.
Familiarize yourself with more local flora.
