As bright and cheerful as any bluebonnet, the red Castroville poppies that flourish in this small Texas town are worth the trip.
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Story and photographs by Dawn Cole
2021 Update: The Castroville Poppy House is open for operation again this spring. See their Facebook page for opening times and rates.
Bluebonnets may get the glory in the Lone Star State, but just to the west of San Antonio, in the “Alsace of Texas,” visitors can see Castroville spring burst forth in a blaze of red as millions of poppies blanket the picturesque town.
Immigrants from the Alsace region of France, situated along the French-German border, settled in Castroville in 1844. With them to Texas came European architecture (most notably half-timber-and-plaster houses) and plants. A century later, in the 1950s, town founders saw the tourist draw in the photogenic poppies, and began passing out seeds as a matter of civic pride.
Each year, from mid-March through April, the masses of poppies cover yards and fields. Perhaps the best-known spot to see these beauties is Lloyd Ross and Sally Coyle’s “Poppy House” property. Their home is an 1851 building that once housed one of Castroville’s original settlers. Also on site is one of Castroville’s original one-room cabins and a windmill from the 1920s.
Stop in for a visit to their home during the spring bloom season, and Lloyd or Sally will cheerfully offer up both history and horticulture lessons. Meanwhile their affable giant standard poodle, Jack, is available for photos and petting.
Admission rates vary with the size of your group, with additional charges for professional photo sessions.
If poppies make you peckish, the Castroville Café is open daily, and the cheerful Haby’s Alasatian Bakery can satisfy your sweet tooth Monday-Saturday.
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