Wikimedia Commons
Fabaceae
Texas Bluebonnet
Lupinus texensis
Texas pride, spring renewal, and the spirit of the frontier.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Lupinus
- Native to
- Texas
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- annual
- Height
- 20–40 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- alkaline, limestone-derived, well-drained
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 7–10 (annual)
- Lifespan
- annual; self-sows
Did you know
- It is the state flower of Texas, adopted in 1901 after a fierce legislative debate involving other candidates.
- Each spring, Texans flock to highways and fields for bluebonnet photo sessions — a beloved state tradition.
- The white tip of each flower spike turns red after pollination, signaling bees to visit lower, unpollinated flowers.
- There is a persistent myth that picking bluebonnets is illegal in Texas — it is not, though it is frowned upon.
- Lady Bird Johnson championed roadside wildflower planting, spreading bluebonnets along Texas highways.
Color meanings
Blue
loyalty and the heart of Texas
White
the bonnets of pioneer women