Wednesday 04.15.2015

Bluebonnets!

Texas Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) are wildflowers, native only to Texas.  Growing from seeds they appear in late winter through early spring (depending on location).  They prefer well-drained, slightly gravelly soil and just the right amount of rainfall.  Rainfall in November is an important factor in beginning the seeds' germination; however, there must be significant rain throughout the winter for the plants to develop.  Too much rain will stunt their growth and result in yellow growth with little or no flowers.

I've never seen a photograph or painting that accurately depicts the show-stopping beauty of a field of Bluebonnets! Even a small clump of them catches your eye and when you see a whole field in bloom, usually mixed with other wildflowers, your eyes are dazzled! I'm sure that is why all six varieties of Lupinus texensis are the State Flower of Texas.

When the plants begin to form they look like a bushy plant.  Years ago when my parents lived in Texas my mother planted seeds in a brick planter in front of their home.  Later in the spring she complained that she had nothing but a group of straggly looking weeds come up from the seeds.  Looking at the empty planter I asked her where the weeds were...she replied, "Oh, I threw them away".  I then gently explained that she had thrown the Bluebonnets away as they do look like a weed!

On Good Friday Jaydon and I had headed out to the Wildseed Farm in Fredericksburg, Texas hoping to see Bluebonnets and more.  The past few years rain has been scarce in this part of Texas and wildflowers have been in short supply.  This year we had rain in November and several good slow, soaking rains during the winter.  We were not disappointed in what we saw along the roads, although it will take several years of the right rain to really bring back the wildflowers. 

The weather that weekend was lousy with gloomy skies and light rain, so I didn't even try to stop along the highway to make pictures.  The Wildseed Farm had plenty for us to photograph.  Note the field in the upper left of the picture above that is solid blue. 

And yes, they were allowing visitors to walk into one field and make pictures.  Making pictures while standing in a field of bluebonnets is a Texas tradition! There were signs to remind the city slickers to watch for snakes and holes in the ground!