Product Description
The vivid blue blooms of the perennial Texas Bluebonnet are native to Texas, and it is the state flower. Bluebonnet is a member of the Pea Family, which can be found growing in drainage ditches and along roadsides throughout the Southwest. The 18-inch plants produce 6-8-inch spires of blue blossoms with a white or yellow spot. This is the most heat-tolerant of all the lupine species. These Heirloom Texas Bluebonnet Seeds are part of The Seeds That Built America collection by Harvesting History and are made in the USA!
Planting and Care
Bluebonnets grow easily from seed. Sow them in spring after all danger of frost has passed, or in late summer or fall when temperatures begin to fall. Bluebonnets thrive in full sun and partial shade conditions and are extremely heat-tolerant.
Texas Bluebonnets prefer poor to medium-fertile, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil, such as sandy loam, gravelly loam, or limestone-based soil. They do not tolerate heavy clay or other soils that hold water. Proper drainage is crucial for preventing root rot. Plant seeds at 1/2 inch depth and space them 10-12 inches apart. If planting in spring, keep the soil slightly moist until germination, which takes 7-10 days. Plants grown from seed sown in the spring will not produce flowers until the following year. Germination is enhanced by scoring the seed and soaking it for 12-24 hours before planting. In warmer climates, better germination is achieved when the seeds are planted in the fall. When seedlings are 2 inches high, thin, leaving 10-12 inches between plants.
Inspiration
Lupine is a family of annual and perennial flowers that were native to the Balkans and the Aegean.
The deep blue flowers of the Texas Bluebonnet clustered on spires have been prized by Native Americans, the Spanish, and settlers for centuries. Spanish priests collected the seeds and planted them around many of the missions in the Southwest. The plant is an important part of the ecosystem and may be the most important native rangeland legume in Texas because of its ability to fix nitrogen in the surrounding soil.
Bluebonnets commonly available today are a perennial variety. It is native to the northwestern United States and was first introduced in 1826. In the late 1800s, L. polyphyllus captured the imagination and attention of a British amateur horticulturist, George Russell, who developed the variety commonly available today and introduced it to the market in 1937.
Eighteenth-century Williamsburg was the home of many ardent gardeners and plant collectors who often exchanged seeds with fellow enthusiasts in Great Britain. Gardeners obtained their seeds from store merchants or from traveling seedsmen. Today, the Colonial Williamsburg seed program continues the tradition by offering many varieties grown in the 18th century.
