Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Your gift keeps resources like this database thriving!

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?

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

Horsemint for Connecticut
July 01, 2015 - Will horsemint grow in Connecticut?
view the full question and answer

Wildflowers for wedding mid-spring in Austin, TX
November 10, 2006 - My fiancé and I are both native Texans, and we are looking to have a beautiful yet simple wedding on March 31, 2007. We would love to use TX wildflowers. Our colors are white, orange, and blue. Wo...
view the full question and answer

Need Advice on Rescuing Winecups in Hurst, Texas
February 03, 2011 - My grandmother's back yard used to be filled with the wild wine cup flowers, but they disappeared for years, due to (I think) flooding caused by runoff from housing development. Last spring I noticed...
view the full question and answer

Is it illegal to pick the state flower (Mountain laurel) in Connecticut?
March 25, 2009 - Is it illegal to pick the state flower (mountain laurel) in CT?
view the full question and answer

Wildflowers of April wedding in Liberty Hill TX
September 02, 2015 - We are planning a wedding for April 9 in Liberty Hill, TX (78642) and live on several acres. We would like to plant wildflowers on the land to use for bouquets and centerpieces. Could you please recom...
view the full question and answer

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