Texas Wants to Know

How bluebonnets became a part of Texas culture

Each spring, Texas explodes with colorful fields full of bluebonnets that residents love to see. It has become a beloved aspect of Texan culture

Bluebonnets painted on hay bales along Ennis Bluebonnet Trails
NBC DFW

While there are over 5,000 species of wildflowers in Texas, the bluebonnet, also known as Lupinus texensis, is the most famous Texas flower.

Dave Forehand, vice president of cultivation and garden engagement at the Dallas Arboretum, mentioned that the bluebonnet's iconic status may come from its adaptation to the climate of Texas.

"It's a lupine, which is a plant you normally find in more the alpine areas and colder climates," Forehand said. "But we've got the Texas version that grows here."

The bluebonnet also became the national flower of Texas in 1901.

"[It] started with Lady Bird Johnson," Forehand said. "She loved flowers [and] became well known for advocating the beauty of natural things and wildflowers in particular. And that became a national initiative."

Springtime is when bluebonnets and similar wildflowers tend to start blooming. They begin to die down around May. However, you could still see other flowers in Texas

"Throughout the state, there's basically something blooming about 12 months out of the year," Forehand said. "So if you really want to find a wildflower blooming, you can do it."

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