Unseasonably cold temperatures have some wildflowers looking a little under the weather.
Tim Hartmann, AgriLife Extension Program Specialist, said the wilted look has more to do with the dry conditions than the cold temperatures.
“A lot of that is probably due to a phenomenon we call desiccation. The air that came through with that front, the wind was really cold and dry and so the water was being sucked out of the plants faster than the roots could replenish it, so a lot of the foliage just really, really dried out,” said Hartmann.
Hartmann said the unseasonably cold temperatures should not affect this spring’s wildflower show.
“Wildflowers are actually cool season annuals or cool season biennials meaning that they actually start growing in the fall, grow through the winter and they are subjected to cold temperatures,” said Hartmann.
Hartmann did say as the wildflowers start to bloom, they become less tolerant to cold temperatures, but we should have a good wildflower show this spring.