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Friday - July 28, 2006

From: Tacoma, WA
Region: Northwest
Topic: Propagation
Title: Practicality of growing bluebonnets in Germany
Answered by: Joe Marcus and Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I am originally from Texas, but I am living in Washington and moving to Germany for the military. I desperately miss bluebonnets and my husband picked up a big bag for me as a present and have no idea what to do. Germany is cold most of the year. I was wondering if there was someway I could make a terrarium of some sort with UVA and UVB lights and grow them indoors. Or if I could maybe figure out if I have to plant them outside, what's my best bet for growing them? soil? vitamins? sunlight? heat? Whatever I need basically. I would really like to to figure something out. Also I saw another person's email that said something about a maroon bluebonnet. I have never heard of that. Could I get some info on that?

ANSWER:

It is indeed possible to grow bluebonnets in an enclosed, artificial environment. It is also very impractical and almost certainly prohibitively expensive. It would probably not be possible at all to grow them outside in Germany; the environmental conditions just are not suited to Texas bluebonnets.

Happily, bluebonnets are lupines and there are lupines native to Germany. You can enjoy the European native lupines during your stay in Germany and they will serve as fond reminders of home. Germany is noted for its public and private gardens where dazzling floricultural displays are created each year during warm months. You are sure to enjoy these living works of art.

Save your bag of bluebonnet seeds for your return to Texas and maybe you can add some maroon seeds to them as well. Here is a link for the maroon bluebonnet and here is information on growing your bluebonnets in Texas. It's something to look forward to upon your return to Texas!