Bluebonnet fields forever
March 26, 2007
Texas bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis )
The state flower of Texas is coloring the roadsides blue. I came across this lovely patch along Balcones Drive.
A true Hill Country sight. As Easter approaches, Austinites will be plunking their kids and even dogs in patches of bluebonnets along MoPac (Loop 1) and elsewhere to snap the quintessential spring photo.
The pretty leaves edged with white add to the bluebonnet’s appeal.
Texas mountain laurel. I spotted this mature tree at a theater over the weekend and went back later to get a photo. It smells even better than it looks.
This year seems to be a much better year for wildflowers than last. I always loved playing with bluebonnets as a child, because when you pull back the petals, it reveals what looks like a cat’s claw. Those, along with Indian Paintbrushes(Castilleja indivisa), remind me of Easter at my great grandmother’s house. 🙂
I never knew that about bluebonnets. But children always know these things, don’t they? —Pam
We’ve seen a few bluebonnets too, Pam – but no paintbrush yet. I once grew Indian Paintbrush in a container and thought the flowers were exquisitely beautiful close-up – much more beautiful in form than the bluebonnets. What a beautiful Texas Mountain Laurel! We finally had a handful of blooms open this week.
All the wildflowers and our gardens are getting plenty of water right now!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I love seeing fields of bluebonnets with generous swaths of paintbrush mixed in. —Pam
Great photos of the beautiful bluebonnets! I always wanted to know how they looked after I saw a landscape painting with swathes them prominent in the foreground. The impressionistic painting made them look more bluish purple than they actually are, though the artist caught the sort of purplish pink when you see them in the far parts of the photo. Thanks for posting the photos.
Ki, you wouldn’t believe (or maybe you would, since you’ve seen one) how ubiquitous those impressionistic paintings of bluebonnet fields are around here. After seeing a few, it gets a bit trite. But bluebonnets are never trite in real life. —Pam
Wow, how lovely those bluebonnets are. And now I finally know what they are; lupines!
The bluebonnets remind me of the lovely bluebells in England. Just how lovely walking through a meadow full of wild flowers at this time of year.
Here I tried lupines several times but the slugs love them too and ate them all until there was nothing left but a sad little stalk. snif!
But thanks for those lovely pics. BTW sorry to read about your spam troubles.
There’s just something about a field of blue, isn’t there? I’m sorry your lupines didn’t work out. I keep meaning to try some bluebonnets in my own garden, but I’ve always forgotten about it by the fall, when they should be seeded. Maybe this year . . . —Pam
Of course I love the bluebonnets… the Texas State Flower. But the plants themselves (being wildflowers) are not so great in a garden. Kind of leggy and not so lush. The Russell Hybrid Lupines are so much more… uh… more. But they aren’t Bluebonnets.
A highway full of Blue (with Indian Paintbrush mixed in for good measure) is a part of my life’s expectation of spring.
Thank you so much for posting.
Hank
You’re welcome, Hank. You’re right about bluebonnets looking leggy and poor if they’re planted in good garden soil and watered along with the begonias. But they work nicely in a sunny, arid garden, mulched in decomposed granite where they can reseed. —Pam
Soon I will be able to grow Lupines, maybe even Texas Bluebonnets. I tried Lupines here once and they croaked quickly in the heat.
The Bluebonnets are spectacular! I’m very partial to blue and I love their shape. Will you post pictures of the Indian Paintbrush please, or is it the yellow flower in the first photo? All the comments about it have roused my curiosity.
“Tame” Lupins do well up here and I always look forward to seeing them.
Thanks for sharing these gorgeous photos.
Here’s a link to a photo of red Indian paintbrush, since I don’t have one of my own to show you. It looks so pretty mixed into a field of bluebonnets. I don’t know the little yellow flower in my bluebonnet photo. Some type of daisy, I suppose.
I look forward to seeing shots of your “tame” lupines. —Pam
Oh this blue is wonderful. White and blue are our favorite colours for garden flowers. It’s always a pleasure to visit your blog!
Greetings from Hannover, Germany
Silke & Wolfgang
Likewise, Silke and Wolfgang. The photos of garden flowers on your blog are just gorgeous. I love the eye candy when I visit. If only I could read German!
Thanks for visiting and commenting. —Pam
I was in Austin March 10-12 for the first time, and saw the Texas mountain laurels. They were gorgeous, and I’ve been wondering if they would grow in Mississippi. Too wet, maybe?
Were you here for SXSW, perhaps?
If you can get your hands on a Texas mountain laurel, I’d think it would be worth a try to grow it. If you’re in southern Mississippi, it ought to be warm enough for it. The other Pam, in coastal South Carolina, is growing one. Good luck! —Pam
Hi, Pam. Your fans are a disciplined, focused lot. Note one mentioned getting high on Texas mountain laurel beans :^)