By Jim Taylor, travel writer
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

Numerous Arkansas wildflowers - from among the state's more than 600 recorded species - start unfurling their blooms in earnest each March and April, beginning in The Natural State’s southern reaches where both the latitudes and the altitudes are indicated by numbers smaller than is the case upstate. In short, spring warms up more quickly down there.

As the temperate weather works its magic northward, dainty wood violets with their heart-shaped leaves and colonies of twin-leaved May apples emerge from forest floors; the delicate, pinkish flowers of rue anemone, the bright red petals of fire pink and the blues of crested iris begin sprinkling color on the Ouachita and Ozark mountains.

Several Arkansas state parks host interpretive events each spring to highlight such flowers and to increase public awareness of and knowledge about them. The wildflower-related activities range from simple wildflower hikes and programs to full weekends of intensive wildflower programming.

Information on upcoming wildflower events at Bull Shoals-White River State Park, near Mountain Home is provided below - Admission to all activities and programs is free. Persons seeking to participate in all or part of a weekend-long event should contact the host park to obtain a program schedule. More information on each park is available at www.ArkansasStateParks.com.