Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Monday - March 15, 2004

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: White Bluebonnets
Answered by: Stephen Brueggerhoff

QUESTION:

Are white Bluebonnets rare?

ANSWER:

The variance in genetics, coupled with environmental factors, allows for the occasional possibility of a variety of flower color, including white and pink bluebonnets. Seeds from white bluebonnets often produce a higher than usual percentage of white offspring, but their genetic variance still allows for the continued production of the standard blue colored bluebonnet. Read more about it from an interesting article published by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service of the Texas A&M University System:Bluebonnet Story.

 

From the Image Gallery


Texas bluebonnet
Lupinus texensis

More Wildflowers Questions

Spots on bluebonnets from Godley TX
April 21, 2012 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants! I'm trying to separate rumor and folktales from fact when it comes to bluebonnets in Texas. I notice that bluebonnet blossoms have a double white spot on the center petal tha...
view the full question and answer

When to harvest bluebonnet seeds in Hurst TX
April 12, 2009 - Can I harvest the Blue Bonnet Seeds now (April) or do I have to wait until they dry up & pods begin to open?
view the full question and answer

Possible locations of fields of Forget-Me-Nots, Myosotis
March 04, 2006 - This might be kind of a weird question but me and my girlfriend have a really special thing with the forget me not wild flowers, and I will be asking her to marry me soon and would love to do it in a...
view the full question and answer

Spreading bluebonnets in pasture from Ledbetter TX
April 29, 2013 - I've found a small patch of bluebonnets in my back pasture in Ledbetter, tx. What is the best method of encouraging their spread across the pasture? I've heard that one can pull up the plants and ...
view the full question and answer

When is best time to plant seeds of Texas Nightshade in San Antonio, TX?
September 20, 2014 - I need to know the time to plant seeds of Texas Nightshade. Can I plant them now ( August ), or wait till fall or spring?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.