|
State flower makes its annual appearance
Published March 23, 2009
Indian paintbrushes and evening primroses bring color to Brazoria County as they spring to life, but no flower is quite as beloved as the bluebonnet.
The state flower is making its annual appearance, bringing with it the flash of cameras and the groan of those who, once again, were unable to get bluebonnets to flower in their yard.
“It makes a beautiful picture,” said Susan Laver, owner of Heartfelt Photography, who said she gets many requests to take pictures of families or children in bluebonnet patches.
Laver said she believes bluebonnets are so beloved because of the rarity of blue flowers.
“They’re our hope after a dreary winter, a glimpse of spring,” Laver said.
But while seemingly everyone loves to look at bluebonnets, not everyone is capable of growing them in their own yards.
GROWING SUCCESS
Nancy Smith, an avid gardener, has achieved blue blooms at her home for 10 years.
Smith grows her bluebonnets to sell at Lake Jackson Garden Club’s spring sale. Though occupying a small plot compared to the rest of her garden, she grows enough for her enjoyment, she said.
“I grew up in the Texas Hill Country,” Smith said. “I’ve known bluebonnets all my life.”
Smith began her bed of flowers with a package of mixed wildflower seeds, letting some bluebonnets reseed themselves every year, she said.
For those who desire bluebonnets, there are some ways Smith said garden hopefuls can ensure their seeds sprout, she said.
First, bluebonnets do well in clay soils, Smith said. They need a moderate amount of water and should be planted in late October, she said.
“A lot of times people plant at the wrong time of the year,” County Extension Agent Paula Craig said. People can’t spread out seeds in the spring and expect bluebonnets to grow, she said.
The plants will come up over the winter and make small rosettes to build their root structure, Craig said. Then, they will come up again in the spring when there’s suitable rain, Smith said.
Craig advises against using fresh seed because their germination rate is just 20 percent, she said. Instead, buy packaged seed that has been treated, she said.
The biggest mistake people make is to plant the seeds in wet soil, which can cause the seeds to rot, she said. They should be planted in a well-drained and sunny place, Craig said.
“You just have to not disturb them once they’re in the ground,” Smith said. “Just let them grow.”
IT’S SPECIAL
Bluebonnets were made the state flower of Texas in 1901 thanks to the pressure of the National Society of Colonial Dames of America and Texas, Craig said.
Though the cactus was a hot contender, the women used their influence to make sure the beautiful flower was a permanent fixture on Texas roadways, she said.
One reason the bluebonnet is so special is it is almost unique to Texas, she said.
“If you’re a Texan, they mean something to you,” said Jamae Bowman, director of Keep Angleton Beautiful. They are special to people because so many grow in the same patch.
“Their beauty is sometimes overwhelming,” she said.
The intense color is another reason it is so belovaed, Smith said.
“People love color out in the open,” she said.
However, Craig warns Brazoria County residents to take their pictures now, because the flowers will last only until about mid-April.
To take pictures, bluebonnet patches can be found at Varner-Hogg Plantation, in front of the Shipley’s Donuts in Angleton and in patches along the highway, she said.
“If you take a picture with the flowers, be careful not to squish them,” she said.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
|
|
|
 |
|
FREE BAY BOAT WITH WATERFRONT PURCHASE Get
...
Click for all
Top Ads listing
|
