Magnificent Wildflowers Add Color to White Rock Lake

Every day, more and more wildflowers start blooming at White Rock Lake in east Dallas.

The Woodland Poppymallow (Callirhoe papaver) is a stunning wildflower. This image was taken on the eastern shore of the lake.

Woodland Poppymallow (Callirhoe papaver) 

These little blue jewels are nothing short of spectacular. Grape Hyacinths, otherwise known as Muscari, are actually not Hyacinths at all.  They are members of the Lily family, and are native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. 

The bulbs are apparently poisonous.

The flowers of this genus typically cluster like grapes on the stalk, hence the common name grape hyacinth. Muscari, a genus name derived from the Greek word for musk, alludes to the wonderful fragrance.

Grape Hyacinths, otherwise known as Muscari 

The Western Goat's Beard (Tragopogon dubius), also known as Sand Goat's Beard, could easily be mistaken for a giant Dandelion. This image was taken on the eastern shore of White Rock Lake.

Western Goat's Beard (Tragopogon dubius) 

The Pink evening primrose (oenothera speciosa) can be found all over White Rock Lake right now. It is known by various names, including Showy evening primrose, Mexican evening primrose, Showy primrose, Pink ladies, Buttercups, and Pink buttercups.

Showy primrose or Buttercup

The displays of Queen Anne's Lace are beautiful. Prior to the tiny flowers opening fully, they have an interesting pinkish hue.

Queen Anne's Lace

This Fleabane was growing beside on of the little streams flowing into the lake at Sunset Bay.

Fleabane

The Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides) is also known as Atlantic Camas. They are beautiful plants with sweet-scented flowers. They are part of the lily family, and were once an important food source for Native Americans. 

Wild Hyacinth (also known as Atlantic Camas)

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Wildflowers Start Blooming at White Rock Lake

The wildflowers have just started blooming at White Rock Lake, a few days after the heavy rains earlier in the week. 

Texas has an amazing variety of wildflowers, so much so, that there have been numerous attempts to change the states nick name from the Lone Star State to the Wildflower State.

The images below were photographed today.

Looks like Lyreleaf Sage - still need to verify

The Dotted Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium pruinosum) below grows low to the ground. It has lots of long green grass-like leaves. In fact, it is a member of the Iris family. They have just started blooming at White Rock Lake. Look for these wildflowers to form a sea of blue in the coming days.

  Dotted Blue-eyed Grass belong to the Iris family.

The Showy Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) –  image below - takes two years to produce a bloom, and when it does, the flowers open in the early morning and last for only a single day. It is often called a Buttercup.

These blooms were on the bank of Dixon Branch Creek.

The Showy Primrose flowers open in the early morning and
last for only a single day.

The flowers of the Rose Verbena (Verbena canadensis) grow in clumps and have a very pleasant fragrance. The clusters of light purple flowers are a favorite source of nectar for butterflies.

Rose Verbena or Rose Vervain is also known as Large-flowered verbena or Clump verbena. The plant attracts many insect pollinators. 

This is how the plant got its name: "Rose" refers to the bright rose-purple color of the flowers; "vervain" comes from an old French name for this group of plants; "Verbena" (from Latin) - a classical name for the branches of trees used in religious rites.

The clusters of Rose Verbena flowers are a favorite
source of nectar for butterflies.

Dewberries are common and many people think of them as a weed, but the leaves can be used for a tea, and the berries are sweet and edible. They can be eaten raw, or used to make cobbler, jam, or pie.

Around March and April, the plants start to growing their white flowers that develop into small green berries. The tiny green berries grow red and then a deep purple-blue as they ripen. When the berries are ripe, they are tender and difficult to pick in any quantity without squashing them.

The white Dewberry flowers develop into small green berries. 

The Fringed Puccoon (Lithospermum incisum) is a stunning wildflower. The root has a red substance that Indians used as a dye.

Fringed Puccoon

Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) is a native of Europe and southwest Asia, but has naturalized all over the United States. It usually blooms in the spring in Texas.

The plant is a favorite of several species of butterflies, including the black swallowtail that uses it as a host plant.

Queen Anne’s Lace is an ancestor of the garden carrot.

Queen Anne’s Lace is a favorite of several species of butterflies.

Star-of-Bethlehem

Dandelions

You can view more spectacular images of wildflowers here:

Blooming Marvelous Wildflowers at White Rock Lake

Magnificent Wildflowers Add Color to White Rock Lake

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