Native Plants

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Sunday - April 12, 2009

From: Hurst, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seeds and Seeding, Wildflowers
Title: When to harvest bluebonnet seeds in Hurst TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Can I harvest the Blue Bonnet Seeds now (April) or do I have to wait until they dry up & pods begin to open?

ANSWER:

Here is an excerpt from a previous Mr. Smarty Plants question.

"Bluebonnets Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet) are described as winter annuals; they germinate in the fall, form rosettes and overwinter, then flower in the spring. When mature, your bluebonnet legumes will burst open, slinging the seeds quite some distance in a seed-dispersal strategy known as explosive dehiscence. Many plants employ this method of seed dispersal. You can pull them, roots and all, from the ground just as the seedpods are turning brown and put them in closed paper grocery bags. You'll be able to hear them popping inside the bag for days or weeks. When they're finished popping, remove the seeds from the bottom of the bag and compost the plants and paper bags."

You can also read our How-to article on Bluebonnets and note that the seeds can then be planted wherever you would like to plant them either right away or in the fall following the instructions in the article.