Lupinus texensis

Common Names

Texas Bluebonnet, Bluebonnet, Texas Lupine, Buffalo Clover, Wolf Flower

Summary

Texas bluebonnet is an annual lupine native to Texas with upright stems forming dense patches; leaves are palmately compound with five leaflets and dense clusters of blue pea-like flowers with white tips bloom in spring, creating a striking blue display, and the plant is drought-tolerant and nitrogen-fixing, reaching about 12–24 inches tall in full sun on well-drained sandy or loamy calcareous soils and serving as the state flower and a pollinator-friendly landscape feature.

For cultivation, plant in fall for spring blooms in full sun with well-drained soil; after establishment it tolerates drought and requires minimal maintenance; propagation is by seed, with scarification speeds germination and rhizobium inoculation can help; plants reseed readily and are commonly used in wildflower meadows, mass plantings, and roadside landscapes to attract bees and butterflies.

Lifecycle

Annual

Height

12-24 inches

Spread

10-18 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained, alkaline, calcareous, limestone-based soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil.

Soil pH

Alkaline (calcareous) soil

Bloom Color

Blue

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green (ranging from light green to emerald green, including mid-green and silvery-green)

Fall Foliage Color

Emerald green, green with a faint white edge

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Rapid growth; takes off in spring after winter.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators