Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Wednesday - July 28, 2004
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: More on bluebonnets
Answered by: Stephen Brueggerhoff
QUESTION:
My bluebonnets are still blooming out of season! What is the general season for bluebonnets to grow?ANSWER:
While the season for the flowers of bluebonnets to emerge generally occurs in late March to mid-April, there are instances of plant seed germinating and flowering out of a ""normal"" season. Bluebonnet seed have a hard outer layer, and successful germination is dependant on the degradation of the seed coat to allow water to get inside the seed, get in contact with the seed embryo, and trigger the development of the plant. A disturbance due to landscaping or construction may have been enough of an event to trigger germination of the seed. It is a good general rule of thumb to remember that, given the right conditions (for example: soil temperature, adequate moisture, and sometimes adequate exposure to sunlight), plants will respond out of their expected seasons. More info on bluebonnet horticulture may be found in our on-line Native Plant Library.
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