The Blubebonnet is a staple of Texas tradition and culture, but there are plenty of tidbits about the flower that many people don’t know.
- Bluebonnets aren’t just blue! They can come in shades of purple, pink and white, and a special lavender color to honor First Lady Barbara Bush.
- The bluebonnet was crowned the state flower over cotton and the cactus jack prickly pear. It was a tough race since cotton was one of the state’s biggest economic drivers, while cactus jack was significant because many Texans believed it represented the state’s beauty and resilience.
- The bluebonnet has multiple names. It’s also known as the lupine, buffalo clover and wolf flower. Plus, it is called two Spanish terms, el conejo, which translates to rabbit, because of the bluebonnet’s white cottontail-like tip, and azulejo, which is loosely translated to indigo bunting or cornflower for its color and shape.
- There are six types of bluebonnets and each is recognized as the state flower. The Big Bend bluebonnet is three-feet tall, the elegant lupine is the tiniest version and blooms in Southeast Texas, the Bajada lupine is found in sand prairies and has palm-shaped petals and lastly, the dune bluebonnet is seen in rare patches only in the Texas Panhandle.
- The bluebonnet, while pretty to look at and take photos in, is extremely toxic and poisonous if ingested by you or your pets. If any part of the flower is eaten, congratulations, you’ve earned yourself a trip to the ER for the night. The flower can cause severe damage to your nervous system, induce tremors, seizures, agitation and severe nausea. So pack your own snacks if you decide to go take family photos, instead of snacking on the flower itself.
That’s a wrap! Don’t forget to take the classic picture with a bluebonnet the next time you see one. Better yet, head on over to Ennis, a 36-minute drive south of Dallas, which holds its annual bluebonnet festival every year. With 40 miles of bluebonnet trails, the blooms are visible the entire month of April, with a Bluebonnet Trails and Festival from April 17 to 19th, with food, vendors and live music the whole weekend.
Sources: Austin.com and Bluebonnettrail.org
