Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

It’s bluebonnet season! Here in Texas, these cheery wildflowers welcome us to spring. You’ll begin to see them popping up, seemingly overnight, all along the sides of highways, across campus, and in your social media feeds.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is officially designated the Botanic Garden and Arboretum of Texas. The Wildflower Center is dedicated to inspiring the conservation of native plants. As the Botanic Garden of Texas, the Center displays native plants from across the state in its gardens and arboretum and serves as a model for creating beautiful, sustainable landscapes.

• Located in South Austin
  

  

  • • 4801 La Crosse Ave.
      Austin, TX 78739
• 6 distinct gardens, spaces, and trails to explore.
• 284 acres!
• Nearly 900 species of native Texas plants are cultivated or grow naturally here!
• The center has a mix of cultivated gardens, an arboretum, managed natural areas and wildlands.
• The landscapes and buildings reflect the center’s purpose to conserve native plants, create sustainable landscapes and conserve resources.

• Reservations are encouraged.
• Hours: 9 am – 5 pm; every day!
• Admission Rates- Reserve Your Spot!
• FREE UT Austin Students (with ID)
• $15 Adults
• $8 Youth (Ages 5 – 17)
• FREE Children 4 years and under

Tuesday Twilights

• Open late from 5 pm – 8 pm
• Tuesdays, March 25-May 13
• More hours for wildflowers! Make it a date night, a picnic with friends, or come for some solo solace in nature. Each evening will feature live music from local musicians, a rolling lineup of Austin’s favorite food trucks, art installations, and more.
• Regular admission rates
• FREE UT Austin Students (with ID)!

Meet Athena

• Athena is the Wildflower Center’s resident great horned owl.
• For more than a decade, the Wildflower Center has been home to a nesting pair of great horned owls (Bubo virginianus). Luckily, the female, who is called Athena, nests in a very conspicuous place, right above the entrance to our Courtyard in the sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri) planter nestled in the north corner. When conditions are right and her eggs hatch into owlets, she provides a rare opportunity to view a wild great horned owl rearing her young.
• Watch the Owl Cam! This livestream allows viewers to enjoy and learn about birds in a way that does not impact their nesting habits. See what Athena is up to!
• Based on previous years, her two eggs should hatch in about 2-3 weeks!