Nature

Bluebonnets: Texas’ Five State Flowers

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Did you know that Texas actually has five state flowers? Before you get all up in arms, let me tell you what they are. Texas’ five state flowers are: Bluebonnets, bluebonnets, bluebonnets, bluebonnets, bluebonnets. Those are all the same flower, you say! Well, yes and no. Texas’ state flower has different variations, all from the same family. Some are a little more attractive, some a bit more outspoken, but they all call Texas home.

1. Sandyland Bluebonnet (Lupinus subcarnosus)

Sandyland BluebonnetsPhoto: Pinterest/pbase.com

Blooming in late March, this little flower is not the showiest of the bluebonnets, but it comes in a close second. The Sandyland Bluebonnet grows in the sandy loam soils of Leon County, southwest to LaSalle County, and in the valley of northern Hidalgo County.

2. The Texas Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis)

Texas BluebonnetPhoto: www.imagesfromtexas.com

As the name states, the Texas Bluebonnet is THE bluebonnet of Texas. It is the bluebonnet featured in all of the pictures that capture our hearts each time we see them. In person, it is the very same bluebonnet that drops our jaws and forces us to stand in amazement and bewilderment when we come across a field blanketed with them. Known for its white halo and its boastful blue petals, the Texas Bluebonnet blooms in late March through early April in the Texas Hill Country. It is the easiest of all bluebonnets to grow.

3. Big Bend or Chisos Bluebonnet (Lupinus havardii)

Big Bend BluebonnetPhoto: djringer.com

With blooms reaching three feet in height, the Big Bend Bluebonnet is considered the most majestic of the bluebonnet family. It stands proud on the flatlands of Big Bend County and is extremely hard to grow outside of its natural habitat.

4. The Annual Lupine (Lupinus concinnus)

Annual LupinePhoto: American Southwest

The smallest of the bluebonnet family, The Annual Lupine dots the Trans-Pecos landscape with dainty white, pink, and lavender blooms and soft, fuzzy leaves in the early spring.

5. Dune Bluebonnet (Lupinus plattensis)

Dune BluebonnetPhoto: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

The Dune Bluebonnet blooms in mid to late spring on the sandy dunes of the Texas Panhandle. Reaching a height of about two feet tall, this bluebonnet is the only perennial bluebonnet in Texas, meaning it does not have to reseed itself each year to grow. It is also referred to as Nebraska Lupine.

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension