TEXAS BLUEBONNET Lupinus Texensis

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TEXAS BLUEBONNET Lupinus Texensis

hardy winter annual, the State flower of Texas

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A hardy winter annual native to Texas, 12-24" high. Adopted as the "State Flower of Texas", this is the most commonly seen variety along roadsides and in uncultivated pastures throughout the state. Flowers are densely arranged on a spike with a characteristic ice white terminal tip. Bluebonnets cannot tolerate poorly drained, clay based soils. Seed planted in poorly drained soils will germinate, but plants will never fully develop. Seedlings will become either stunted or turn yellow and soon die. Prefers a sloped area in light to gravelly, well-drained soil. Requires full sun.

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Sowing instructions

The best is to plant them in late winter just after the ground has thawed since the cold helps them sprout. If planted in the fall some seeds will sprout in the fall while most will come up in the spring. To get them going in late spring or summer soak them in water overnight, this will make the seeds swell up and start the growth of the seed. Transplanting is said to be difficult but the sources say that small plants can be easily moved if you keep a lot of soil around the roots. This has not worked well for me, and i use egg boxes to start the seeds, one in each whole, cut the box in 12 pieces once the seedlings show up and plant the whole little pot into the ground. The egg boxes will rotten over time and keep cutworms away from the young roots.