Bluebonnets

Eva L. Jeffers · Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 1 Location: Northeast Texas

I purchased bluebonnets recently, 6packs of healthy plants. I didn't
stop to think that you plant the SEED in the fall...not the plants, and I
did not ask any questions about them being killed by frost, etc.
Now, I am asking you...if frost gets them, will they come back. What
other advise for caring for them. Thanks, Eva

jmeier · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 110 Location: Garland

Nothey won't come back, I planted some transplants in the spring and let them go to seed, but the best advice is probably to enjoy them while they last... :)

Tony M · Joined: 31 Mar 2003 Posts: 1087 Location: McKinney,TEXAS

You might keep a couple in the house to see if they make it till spring. Sometimes things like this can be a fun experiment.
Tony M

dragonfly · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 7:50 pm Post subject:

So why not go buy some bluebonnet seeds and plant now so that you will have lots of them next Spring? They are starting to sprout now and will survive the winter, or at least mine always do.

Connie Tassin · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 102 Location: Alvarado,TX

Yes, bluebonnets can survive the winter. In DFW, I planted two transplants last fall, that made it through May as though they had come up from seed.

The cycle for a Bluebonnet is:
Bloom in the spring, go to seed about April, May, then die back.
Seed sprouts up as a plant in late September through November.
Plant stays small, and low through the winter, and in the spring... grows taller and blooms!

If you were following nature, you would have put your Bluebonnet seeds out in the spring. However, some of the seeds you purchase have been "scarified" --so that the outer shell is thinner, and the seed will germinate quicker. Seeds in the wild can sometimes take a couple of years to germinate.

Down in San Antonio, my mom's Bluebonnets are already sprouted. Due to the recent rains, they did not stay the low growing plant we normally see. Instead they are three inches tall! Hopefully this will all make for a gorgeous spring show!

So Eva, I suggest you plant your six-packs of Bluebonnets. Water 'em occasionally and do what you can to get them off to a good start. Frost will not kill them if they have a good root system going. Then sit out the winter, and wait for your Bluebonnet spring.

Good Luck!