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Monday - March 15, 2010

From: Brenham, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Bluebonnet party for April 17 in Brenham TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I wish to have a Bluebonnet party. I planted seeds in the spring and fall and the plants have come up like crazy. Given our unusual weather, when can you predict they will peak.?? I was planning the party for April 10, but now must move it back to the 17th.

ANSWER:

Having lived not too long ago in Brenham, and driven through it today en route from Houston to Austin, we think you can count on having a good showing on your target date. Ordinarily, Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet) blooms from March to May, with the heaviest bloom in the last week of March to the first week of April. It appears the late, severe weather (snow!) may have inhibited their development a little bit in Central Texas, so it would seem that the third week in April should still be fine. If you think they are developing too fast, you can always deadhead them before they go to seed, which will usually inspire another bloom, as plants all need to bloom in order to have seed to propagate themselves.

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