A vibrant expanse of sunflowers located off the bustling U.S.-84 in Central Texas has seized the attention of westbound passersby between Waco and McGregor.
Just one sunflower is a sight to behold since this bright yellow flower can grow anywhere from 1 to 14 feet, depending on the variety. Unsurprisingly, this flower thrives in the sun and is one of the easiest plants to cultivate.
This apparently contributed to the Westerfeld Farms of Crawford owner’s decision to plant a nearly 200-acre sea of sunflowers off U.S.-84.
“We were just trying to find a different rotation for corn because it’s good to rotate it,” explained a representative for the farm, according to KWTX.
Westerfeld Farms usually rotates its corn crops with wheat in order to prevent rootworms, but it is very susceptible to frost damage. Even temperatures just below freezing might cause severe freeze injury during its early growth stages.
Sunflowers, on the other hand, are more frost resistant, especially as seedlings. Thus, Westerfeld Farms has planted them in three of their fields.
The other two can also be found off U.S.-84 near Harris Creek Baptist Church on Spring Valley Road.
While the three Westerfeld Farms fields have been filled with sunflowers for purely practical reasons, travelers going westbound on U.S.-84 have been drawn in by the awe-inspiring sight of these cheery blooms.
Alex Arriaga, a local resident, enjoyed the sight while working on houses with Dream Painting and Remodeling.
“The viewing here is so beautiful. All the sunflowers, they are so beautiful, and they just catch your eyes every time you drive by,” Arriaga told KWTX.
Nancy Goodnight happened upon the sight while on a morning run.
“It was like a sea of yellow,” Goodnight told KWTX. “We were running and as the sun came up the fields just lit up with beautiful, bright color. It just made the day seem so filled with light and hope.”
The panorama has served as the perfect backdrop for photos.
Photo of sunflower | Image by Nancy Goodnight/Facebook
As The Dallas Express previously reported, this spring saw one of the most vibrant shows of wildflowers like the native bluebonnet and Indian paintbrush across the Lone Star State.
Texans and visitors alike posted vibrant scenes of spring across social media.
@texas.adventurers These fields of bluebonnets are a must for photos! Keep an eye out for the new blooming wildflowers at Muleshoe Bend #texas #springintexas #texasbluebonnets
The representative for Westerfeld Farms told KWTX that the owner welcomes visitors to take pictures in their sunflower fields, the blooms of which will start to wane in a few weeks.
That being said, the owner asks that visitors refrain from harming or picking the flowers since they will be harvested at the end of the summer for their seeds.
