In 1969, the year I was born, Lady Bird Johnson started handing out the Texas Highway Beautification Awards and writing personal checks to the winners. Soon everybody was planting bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, and black-eyed Susans in the hopes of winning her approval.

Who started bluebonnets in Texas?

The early Spanish priests gathered the seeds and grew them around their missions. This practice gave rise to the myth that the padres had brought the plant from Spain, but this isn't the case, as the two most common species of bluebonnets are native to Texas.

How did the bluebonnet become the state flower of Texas?

Why is the Texas State Flower the Bluebonnet? After a heated flower war in 1901, the National Society of Colonial Dames of America successfully convinced the Texas legislature to choose the bluebonnet, a name that paid homage to the many brave Texas pioneer women.

Are Texas bluebonnets invasive?

We know that Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet) will not become an invasive species or even a weed in Georgia, but that is not necessarily the case with all species. ... Bluebonnet seeds can remain viable in the soil for years. Eventually the little patch of bluebonnets died out as the soil became more and more acidic.

Is it legal to plant bluebonnets in Texas?

Seed may be planted September 1 through December 15; however, for best results, plant seeds no later than mid-November. This allows seed time to germinate and grow throughout the winter months, during which time a heavy root system and a sturdy plant is developed to produce an abundance of spring flowers.

RAW: How to plant bluebonnets at home

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Do bluebonnets come back each year?

It may take several years to establish a good stand of bluebonnets and they do require some particular conditions to thrive. But once they are going, your bluebonnets should reseed and reappear each spring.

Do bluebonnets attract snakes?

Spring also means all those little critters that were out of sight and out of mind during the winter are back out and about. So, even though the Bluebonnet fields are a prime picture taking location this time of year, it's also a prime place for creatures like rattlesnakes to hide in and get out of the sun.

Are bluebonnets poisonous to touch?

Bluebonnets are toxic to humans and animals. Leave the flowers as you found them.

What do bluebonnets smell like?

The scent of these blossoms has been diversely described; many people say they give off no scent at all, while a few have described the scent as 'sickly sweet'. Bluebonnet seeds have a hard outer shell to protect from dry conditions as the plant grows better in moist years.

What do you do with bluebonnets after they bloom?

If your bluebonnets grow in a field, lawn area or on a hillside, you can mow them right along with the grass and other wildflowers that may pop up. Wait to mow until the plants have formed mature seedpods. By mowing after the seeds have matured, you allow the plants to reseed themselves for next year.

What do bluebonnets symbolize?

The Great Spirits were kind to the young girl and admired her bravery. The rain immediately began to fall and, along with it, a great field of beautiful bluebonnets. Thus, the bluebonnet has also come to symbolize bravery and sacrifice, along with its great Texas-pride!

What is Blue Bonnet butter?

BLUE BONNET Original Vegetable Oil Sticks provide that smooth, buttery flavor to transform any weeknight meal. ... BLUE BONNET Sticks bake like butter. These individually wrapped sticks are full of flavor, but contain no cholesterol, no hydrogenated oil and 0g trans fat per serving.

Who named the bluebonnet?

In 1901, the Texas Legislature named the bluebonnet, a legume, the state flower. Many say it got its name because it resembles a sunbonnet. It's also been called buffalo clover, wolf flower and el conejo, or rabbit in Spanish.

Are bluebonnets and lupines the same?

Texas bluebonnets are actually six different Lupinus species with only one having the official name of Texas Bluebonnet or Lupinus texensis. ... Bluebonnets grow in most southwestern states, while Wild Lupine (Lupinus perrenis) grows in Wisconsin and most northeastern and southeastern states.

Where are bluebonnets native to?

Bluebonnet is a name given to any number of purple-flowered species of the genus Lupinus predominantly found in southwestern United States and is collectively the state flower of Texas. The shape of the petals on the flower resembles the bonnet worn by pioneer women to shield them from the sun.

Are bluebonnets perennials?

In warmer areas, Texas Bluebonnets act as perennials, coming back year after year, but in colder areas, they act as annuals.

Do deer eat bluebonnets?

Cattle and horses avoid eating bluebonnets almost completely. Deer will eat them in times of environmental stress when they are one of the few options left to eat. Sheep and goats, however, find them quite tasty and will clear a pasture of them. A few insects also eat the plant.

Is it illegal to pick bluebonnets?

With that said, picking bluebonnets on private property is illegal due to trespassing laws. It is also illegal to destroy any plant life in any Texas State Park. While it may be a myth that picking the beautiful blue flowers is illegal, conservation is crucial to preserving these delicate native plants.

How tall do Texas bluebonnets grow?

It is the only perennial species in the state and grows to about two feet tall. It normally blooms in mid to late spring and is also known as the dune bluebonnet, the plains bluebonnet and the Nebraska Lupine.

Can dogs eat bluebonnets?

The bluebonnet is a common flower native to the Rocky Mountain range and westward. When ingested by dogs, it is toxic. If your dog consumes this flower, you need to contact your veterinarian immediately.

Are there white bluebonnets?

“The rare, albino white bluebonnets are an anomaly created by Mother Nature and are the result of a mutation in one of the genes responsible for producing the blue pigment. ... To produce white flowers, an egg with the white mutant gene has to be fertilized by pollen with the same mutant gene.

What happens if you eat bluebonnets?

Believe it or not, the bluebonnet is actually toxic if ingested. Leaves and seeds from the entire Lupinus plant family are poisonous, although actual toxicity is determined by a number of different biological and environmental factors (see 'Benefit'). Even animals steer clear of bluebonnets when they get the munchies.

Is there a bluebonnet rattlesnake?

The Governing Committee at TITA has designated the snake's scientific name as 'Crotalus Lupinus,' and the discoverer, Robert McCrae, has assigned the common name of 'Texas Bluebonnet Rattlesnake. ... The snake has obvious similarities to the Lupinis Texensis, or Bluebonnet.

Why do bluebonnets attract snakes?

The plants are exuding kind of a herbaceous scent, so rodents are very attracted to that, so the snakes are there looking for food—they're not looking to get you," Bommer says.

Are the bluebonnets in bloom in Texas?

Quick answer: Look for peak bluebonnet season in early April. ... That said, bluebonnets typically start blooming in the “bluebonnet belt” of Central/East Texas toward the end of March and continue through mid- to late April.