Native Plants

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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.

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Friday - April 03, 2009

From: Longview, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: How do I grow bluebonnets in East Texas?
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

I live in the Piney Woods region in N.East Texas. I bought a flat of bluebonnets and want to know if they will grow back next year? If not, how do I get bluebonnets to grow back every year in my yard as they do in the wild?

ANSWER:

The bluebonnet Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet) was originally designated the Texas state flower in 1901, but subsequently, all bluebonnet species that grow in Texas have been designated the state flower.

The bluebonnet is described as a winter annual. That means that it germinates in the fall, grows through the winter, and flowers in the spring. Any plants that show up the following year are the result of seed germination. So if your flat of bluebonnets flowered, your next year's bluebonnets are in the seed pods of this year's plants.

Here at the Wildflower Center, we get lots of questions about bluebonnets, so a "How to article" has been prepared that explains how to plant, grow, collect seeds, and appreciate these beautiful flowers.

Also, these two previously answered questions have more information about bluebonnets.

Question #1

Question #2