Native wildflowers will be the focus of walking tours and free educational events May 4-10 during National Wildflower Week at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Wildflower Center Education Manager Tanya Zastrow said the center will showcase native wildflowers including Indian blanket, purple coneflowers and mealy blue sage.

"We want to educate people about the benefits of wildflowers, give them opportunities to learn about them, see them in new places or enjoy them in places they're familiar with," she said.

The center is located at 4801 La Crosse Ave.

Regular admission prices apply for events held at the Wildflower Center. Events include:

• May 5: Volunteer Phoebe Allen leads a spring blooms walk at 10 a.m at the Wildflower Center. At 6:30 p.m., Center Communications Director Lee Clippard provides a free wildflower walk at Willowbrook Reach, 3999 Sycamore Drive, Austin, about nature in an urban greenbelt. Visitors are asked to register via the website for this event.


• May 6 and May 8: At 9:30 a.m. at the Wildflower Center's Luci and Ian Family Garden, families with preschoolers can join education coordinator Anjoli Fry to learn about wildflower sections, why they make seeds and more as part of the center's Sprouts programming.


• May 9: Horticulturist Samantha Elkinton leads a tour at 11 a.m. about insects and wildflowers they love. At 2 p.m., Elkinton leads a general tour about wildflowers in the gardens.


• May 10: Caudillo Studios will take family portraits in front of wildflowers at the center from noon to 3 p.m. and charge fees depending on the size of prints ordered. At 10 a.m., Phoebe Allen leads a wildflower walk.

Events are open to all ages, she said.

"It's just a wonderful way to get out and explore," she said.

More information including event details and weather cancellation notices will be available about www.wildflower.org/nww/.