Azalea & Spring Flower Trail
March 19-April 4, 2021
Visit Tyler each spring when we celebrate the season with more than ten miles of residential gardens and historic home-sites covered with azaleas, tulips, wisteria, dogwood, and more. This annual spring event has been described as a floral wonderland and a photographer’s paradise. The Azalea & Spring Flower Trail takes place in March and April each year. Springtime in Tyler is one of the best times of the year to stroll the brick streets and enjoy the beauty of the area.
Download the 2021 Azalea & Spring Flower Trail Brochure
Follow Visit Tyler on Facebook for a progress of the blooms.
We are taking every precaution to make sure visitors are safe in light of the pandemic, therefore, we are encouraging everyone to enjoy a driving tour of the Trail. As we get closer to the date, we will update this page with any special events that will be happening during this time. Thank you for your patience.
Enjoy this glimpse into last year’s spring season. (Released 4/6/20)
Bloom Update – Updated March 4, 2021
Unfortunately, because of the unprecedented winter storm in Tyler (and Texas) in February, there will not be very many azaleas blooming this year during the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail. However, we will still be celebrating spring in Tyler! #RoseCityStrong
Tyler is a beautiful place to visit during the spring, and some of the blooms you can expect to see include crabapples, deciduous azaleas, dogwoods, ornamental pears, spirea, tulips, and wisteria.
It is still a little too early to know for sure the full amount of the damage to the azaleas, but Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Horticulturist Greg Grant estimates we will only see about 15-20% of our normal blooms. We will be posting a progress of the blooms throughout the season so that you will be able to see in real time what the Trail looks like. Please check back to this page for those updates and follow us on Facebook.
Other things you can do in Tyler during spring include viewing the historic homes and museums, shopping, and parks as well as great places to eat and drink. Some favorite outdoor attractions include the Caldwell Zoo and Tyler State Park, who will be hosting its annual Dogwood Days Driving & Walking Tour. Also, be sure to check out our events page for any events that will be happening in the area during this time.
You can also download the FREE Thirsty Pine Tour and Outdoor & Adventure Passes for discounted rates to some of your favorite local attractions and food locations. Make sure to finish the passes for a chance to win a grand prize vacation getaway package!
Plant Care After a Freeze
If you are worried about the health of your plants, the first thing to know is you probably won’t be able to tell at for least 2-3 weeks after a freeze if your plant has been damaged.
A lot of azaleas and other evergreen plants after the freeze will have brown leaves, but this is not an indicator of the life of the plant. According to Greg Grant, the best way to know if your plant is damaged beyond repair is to wait until warmer weather and longer days, then assess the status of the stems of the plant. If the stems are dried, brittle, or cracked, those parts of the plant have probably frozen and can be cut back.
“Most plants in this area will probably re-sprout at some point from the ground or lower stem,” Grant said. “Actually a blessing in this situation was the snow because the snow acted as insulation for the plants. This means that most of those plants will see new growth at the lower part of the shrub where the snow was.”
For more information on dealing with freeze damage, visit the Aggie Horticulture Facebook page, the Smith County Master Gardener Facebook page, and Neil Sperry’s GARDENS Facebook page.
Listen to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Horticulturist Greg Grant’s full interview about how to care for your plants after a freeze, when to cut them back, and what to expect to see in Tyler this spring on this month’s episode of Rambling Roses podcast.
AZALEA FAQ
The entire Trail is approximately 8 miles.
The Lindsey Trail was the original trail. A second trail, the Dobbs Trail (Rusk Trail), was added to accommodate additional homes displaying flowers and azaleas that bloomed during the Trail. As more homes were added, it became confusing, if not impossible, to design a single trail that could be easily followed. Both trails have and will be changed as more homes and streets participate.
The trails are named after the streets where they become distinct trails.
Parking is allowed on any of the streets with the exception of South Broadway Ave (U.S. 69). Two of the most popular places to park:
South College Avenue, between Lindsey Lane and Dobbs Street near Bergfeld Park.
Belmont Drive, between First & Second Street, is a great place to stretch your legs and see the flowers and azaleas up close and personal.
For the safety of the residents who live in the Azalea District, visitors are encouraged to doing a driving tour of the Trail.
You can expect cool weather in the mornings, warming up in the afternoon. Texas weather, however, can change rapidly causing temperatures to cool or rainy weather. It is best to wear layers of clothes that can be removed if the temperature turns warm.
There are several restaurants located around Bergfeld Center and Downtown Tyler. There is a complete listing of restaurants available at the Visitor’s Center (315 North Broadway) or here on our site.
You can locate a hotel, bed and breakfast, or RV/campground here on our site.
There are several other activities and attractions occurring during the Azalea Trail. Visit our online calendar for details or the Experience Tyler page for more ideas.
Unfortunately, because of the unprecedented winter storm that occurred in Tyler (and Texas) in February, there will not be very many azalea blooms this year. However, Tyler is still a beautiful place to visit during spring, and some blooms you can expect to see include crabapples, deciduous azaleas, dogwoods, ornamental pears, spirea, tulips, and wisteria. If you are worried about your plants after the freeze, please see our resources above on how to assess if your plant is damaged. We will be keeping a progress of the blooms above as spring gets closer as well.