18 Facts Every Bluebonnet Enthusiast Needs to Know (2024)

FAQs

Is Texas the only place where bluebonnets grow? ›

LORE OF THE BLUEBONNET

This practice gave rise to the myth that the padres had brought the plant from Spain, but this cannot be true since the two predominant species of bluebonnets are found growing naturally only in Texas and at no other location in the world.

The Great Spirits were kind to the young girl and admired her bravery. The rain immediately began to fall and, along with it, a great field of beautiful bluebonnets. Thus, the bluebonnet has also come to symbolize bravery and sacrifice, along with its great Texas-pride!

Believe it or not, the bluebonnet is actually toxic if ingested. Leaves and seeds from the entire Lupinus plant family are poisonous, although actual toxicity is determined by a number of different biological and environmental factors (see 'Benefit'). Even animals steer clear of bluebonnets when they get the munchies.

Bluebonnets are annual flowers with root systems that last one year. Because of this, they're more sensitive to past weather patterns during the germination period, and any major weather pattern changes post-bloom.

Bluebonnets are important food sources for pollinators like butterflies and especially bees. It is also the host plant for the gray hairstreak butterfly, which means this butterfly lays its eggs on bluebonnets so the larva, or caterpillar can eat the leaves.

It's a widely held belief that it's illegal to pick or mow over bluebonnets in Texas. That's just a myth. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, there is no specific law protecting the state flower.

If you are looking for the total bluebonnet experience, Ennis is the way to go. The city is designated the official bluebonnet city of Texas by the Legislature, and tens of thousands of visitors flock through every spring to see the bluebonnets.

However, the pinks indeed were so rare that only four locations throughout the entire state were reported. Oddly enough, the "mother-load" of pinks was found within the city limits of San Antonio.

In the time of covered wagons and scrappy settlers, the bluebonnet was known by many different names: wolf flower, buffalo clover, blue lupine, and el conejo among the most common. The name wolf flower was used by early settlers, who believed the plant robbed nutrients from the soil.

Bluebonnets are the state flower of Texas. How they came to be is an Indian legend from the Comanche tradition. An orphan, She-Who-Is-Alone, is raised by the tribe in a time of drought and famine. Her sacrifice brings the people back into harmony with nature and saves the tribe.

Why are they called bluebonnets? ›

Bluebonnets get their name from the flower's individual bloom's resemblance to the sunbonnets women wore to guard against the grueling Texas sun. Throughout history, though, it's been known by many other names, including “lupines” since it is part of the Lupinus genus.

In 1901, the Texas Legislature named the bluebonnet, a legume, the state flower. Many say it got its name because it resembles a sunbonnet. It's also been called buffalo clover, wolf flower and el conejo, or rabbit in Spanish. Five species of bluebonnet grow in Texas: Lupinus subcarnosus, L.

TAKE CARE OF THE FLOWERS

Many of the wildflowers growing on the side of the road are annuals that won't reseed if they are picked or trampled. Therefore, the Texas Department of Transportation discourages taking pictures among the wildflowers if doing so will damage them.

While they are thinking about who sits where and in what position they are not thinking about what could possibly be hiding in the bluebonnets. There could be anything from prickly plants to ants or even snakes! That's right, rattlesnakes are out around this time and like to hide in the flowers.

Bluebonnets get their name from the flower's individual bloom's resemblance to the sunbonnets women wore to guard against the grueling Texas sun. Throughout history, though, it's been known by many other names, including “lupines” since it is part of the Lupinus genus.

Though bluebonnets are typically blue, occasionally you'll come across light blue, white or pink flowers growing in the wild. These are natural variants caused by genetic mutations. These variants generally don't stick around in wild populations because blue flower color is dominant.

Bluebonnet is a name given to any of a number of purple-flowered or blue-flowered species of the genus Lupinus predominantly found in southwestern United States and is collectively the state flower of Texas.