Bluebonnets are pretty. They're also all over Texas every year, and they make for great selfies. In just a short time, everyone's social media feed will be filled with influencers and wannabes surrounded by the state flower of Texas.

What if the Bluebonnet wasn't our state flower? What could it be instead?

Pretty Or Prevalence? Which One Matters More?

When it comes to deciding a state flower, there must be certain criteria that are met. Surely prevalence is one of the key factors that help determine a state factor. It's hard to imagine having a state flower that you can't find anywhere in the state.

In the interest of having pride in your state, you would probably want the state flower to be something that can be found from border to border. You want a flower that is readily seen, so as to always inspire a certain kind of pride in that which we call home.

So, then, what could we look to that would serve as this kind of reminder of where we are, and where we're from? I would like to offer a suggestion.

Sarah Clark/TSM
Sarah Clark/TSM
loading...

I Suggest: The Conus Aurantiacus

If the name doesn't ring a bell, that's because I looked up "orange" and "cone" in Latin, which is a dead language unless you're into science; or you like sounding like you're casting a spell in a Harry Potter movie.

Yes, behold! The rightful, widespread, you're-gonna-see-it-everywhere-you-go "flower" that we should hail as the state flower of Texas is the traffic cone.

We have legendary traffic cones in Texas, and they're absolutely everywhere.

From I-35 to I-40, and in every town, city, municipality in between, we're covered in these things. A quick glance at TXDOT's project tracker shows that almost 16,500 projects are currently active.

As we head into the spring and summer months, know that you'll be encountering this "flower" pretty much everywhere you go. Slow down, keep an eye out for crews, and just keep reminding yourself of how nice it's all going to be once it's finished.

Things We Would Put In Our Version of Cadillac Ranch

Amarillo Landmarks: Negative Yelp Reviews

Yelp can be a strange and angry place. That's what I found out recently when I decided to sort the reviews by "lowest rating" first.

I was okay with the people upset over bad service and what not. But I came across a few reviews that, for lack of a better word, left me speechless in their scathing negative reviews on some of Amarillo's most iconic places. Prepare your self for plenty of head shaking and "I dunno" shrugs.

LOOK: The Enigmatic Art Oddity of Cookie Time

This quirky and whimsical place is tucked away behind a fence off US-287N and Cherry Street. While it may seem like a head-scratcher at first, you'll soon find yourself drawn to the unique and memorable displays at Cookie Time.

More From Mix 94.1