The Bluebonnets of Texas

The last frost, hopefully the last landscape-whitening frost, of West Central Texas up at my home on a bit of the Edwards Plateau last Monday morning, showed me where the Texas Bluebonnet plants are located by our daughter’s grave. I am ecstatic. The little five-fingered fan of green that was fringed with frost stood out so clearly to me.

I wasn’t sure if the plant I bought last spring and placed near her headstone would drop seeds. The deer had chomped on it and I was not doing a good job of making sure it was watered sufficiently. But it grew and produced about five stems with quite a few sky blue flowers on each which lasted maybe six weeks. I then ignored it, and hoped that the seed pods that were being formed would dry out and pop open to drop the seeds when all conditions were ideal. I hoped, that then, the seeds would germinate at the right time. Sure enough! I see three plants.

Texas Bluebonnets, also called Texas Lupine or Buffalo Clover, is the state flower of Texas. It is such an emblem of Texas, that most people think no one may dig one up to transplant, or pick one for any reason. However, there is no law against digging one to move it or to snip flowers for enjoying in a vase, or even to collect some seed. This lupine was named “Bluebonnet” because the blue flowers resemble the bonnets women and girls wore in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the hot Texas sun to shield themselves. The native species, Lupinus texensis Hook is the favorite of Texas Lupines. It and all Lupines similar to it that can be found in Texas are called Texas Bluebonnets, designated so by the state legislature in 1971.

Texas Bluebonnets are in the pea family, producing pea-like seed pods. The Lupinus we love so well has the unique white-flowered tip, and sharply-pointed leaves, and more flower heads on its stems. It is also a light green with five-leaf leaflets growing on 6 – 18-inch stems. The flowers are fragrant on a warm sunny day, and are visited by bumblebees and butterflies, especially the larval host butterflies Hairstreak and Elfin.

Texas Bluebonnets are annuals and must be reseeded every year. Each plant has a taproot reaching down into the soil. They grow in a variety of soils, including caliche, loam, limestone, sand, and even clay. The favorite seems to be a well-draining blackland soil where fields of these flowers can be seen growing in the spring. They can withstand frequent periods of drought.

The Lupinus is native to Texas and is found growing on the prairies, in open fields, and along roadsides from March to May. It is also found in Florida, Louisiana and Oklahoma. If you are a native Texan, or got here as fast as you could, you know that people get antsy about where the best stands of Texas Bluebonnets are so they can get their spring pictures taken amongst all that blue.

Or you can plant your own stand. Purchase seed, or use saved seed from some plants in the area, perhaps from a friend who has a healthy stand. In the fall, prepare the seeds by soaking overnight, or stratifying each one you want to plant with a bit of sandpaper or a sharp knife. Another option is to freeze the seeds overnight, then place in boiling water so the seed shell cracks. Disturb the soil in the very sunny area in which you would like Bluebonnets to grow by mowing or raking it. Scatter the seed by hand in that area. Let the weather do its thing. All the rains, droughts, freezes and heat waves will cause each seed to germinate (or fail). When spring comes, hopefully a green carpet of tiny plants will appear, and after some really warm and sunny days, the bonnets of blue will dance around for you.