Texas Parks and Wildlife shares the importance of wildflowers

AUSTIN, Texas (KAUZ) – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is emphasizing the importance of local wildflowers that line the hills along Texas highways.

TPWD also informs that fall is the perfect time to plant wildflower seeds to see spring blooms next year.

According to TPWD, native wildflowers provide important habitat for pollinators, many of which have seen their populations decline. These important insects, birds and mammals are key to preserving native plant species, human food crops and even crops.

Because more than 94 percent of the land in Texas is privately owned, effective protection of native pollinators requires the commitment and participation of landowners, according to TPWD.

Texans can play an important role in preserving and maintaining populations of native pollinators by adopting management practices that benefit these species.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department shared tips for starting a backyard wildflower pollinator garden:

Find a spot in the yard or garden that doesn’t already have grass (St. Augustine and Bermuda), or remove the grass if necessary.
Scatter seeds by hand. Smaller seeds are easier to handle when mixed with sand. One part seed and four parts sand.
Rake or tamp the seeds in, but make sure they are only about 3mm deep. Seeds need sun to germinate.
Keep it moist for several days unless rain is expected. Water every 2-3 weeks during extended periods of rain in winter.

It is recommended that you wait to mow fields or cut back plants until the flowers have bloomed in the spring and have had an opportunity to drop seeds.

TPWD said you might also consider leaving the dead stems behind, as they provide nesting sites for many of our solitary pollinator bees.

For more resources on native wildflowers, visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center or the Native Plant Society of Texas.

For more information about pollinators in Texas, click here.

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