Wildflowers,

Bluebonnets by Madeline Sullivan

Everyone loves bluebonnets because they are the Texas state flower and they are beautiful. There are six species of Lupinus in Texas known as bluebonnets, but only two species are endemic to Texas, the Texas bluebonnet and the sandyland bluebonnet. These are the ones that the highway department plants on many roadways for erosion-control and roadside beautification programs. The sandyland bluebonnet was adopted as the state flower in 1901, but because it was not as showy as the Texas bluebonnet, and popular opinion called for the other four species occurring naturally in Texas to be the state flower, in 1971, the decision was made to make all six of the lupines the state flower. Here in Hunt County only the Texas bluebonnet and the sandyland bluebonnet will grow with success.

Let’s make a little preparation before putting your bluebonnet seeds in the ground. Bluebonnets do not like heavy grasses or wet feet. Select an area that is open to the sun, not too full of heavy grasses and not in a low area that stands in water when it rains. Bluebonnets should not be sown in an area with winter grasses such as fescue or any type of clover. The grasses and trifoliums will be too aggressive to let the bluebonnet seeds establish. Also, though, do not sow bluebonnet seeds in a bald area on which nothing has ever grown. It is certain that bluebonnets will not grow there either.

If the area you choose is full of grasses and weeds, use a herbicide to kill them in mid-September. Two weeks later check the area, as a second application of herbicide may be necessary. Let the area lay fallow for at least 14 days. After that time, rake-up all the dead debris and make the area as clean as possible before tilling. When you till (a rake will be good), it must be shallow, not more than 1 inch deep. It works well to till in one direction and then till perpendicular to the first tilling. After tilling, rake the area to make it clean and smooth.

At the end of September to the middle of October, you are ready to plant. As you start to sow, combine the seed with a carrier such as masonry sand, perlite, or potting soil–recommendation being a minimum of 4 parts inert material to 1 part seeds. This is to increase volume and aid in even distribution over the site. Broadcast half of your seeds uniformly over the prepared area. Sow the remaining seeds in a direction perpendicular to the initial sowing. One of the main problems of a scattered showing is not using enough seeds. So, use plenty of seeds to get a good stand of bluebonnets in the spring. After you finish sowing, press the seed into the soil by walking or rolling the newly planted area. Do not cover the seeds any deeper than 1/8 inch. Some seeds will remain visible. Keep the area moist until the seedlings are well established.

Next spring, you can enjoy your pretty bluebonnets.

The Wild Asters of Hunt County by Madeline Sullivan

There are four types of wild asters in Hunt County: the heath aster, the Texas aster, the annual aster, and the meadow aster. They come up in the spring and have their leaves and stalks all summer, looking like a small hedge row along the fences and against the house.

If you do not know how the asters look in the spring or summer, it is very easy to mow them down since they closely resemble weeds. In August, however, their buds began to grow and by the end of August and early September they began to flower.

The heath aster and the Texas aster have white ray flowers and yellow disk flowers in the center of the bloom. The heath aster has an abundance of small flowers all up and down the stem. When grouped together, they make a spectacular show of the numerous small white flowers and the medium green leaves below that grow all the way to the ground.

The Texas aster has a larger flower than the heath aster and is some taller. It likes shady places under tall trees with loamy, rich, well-drained clay soils, and when other flowers are at the end of their season, the Texas aster blooms are still alive and inviting around the yard area.

The meadow aster is large and showy, with purple or violet flower heads and yellow center disk flowers.

The annual aster, which has ray flowers that are white to lavender or purplish, with disk flowers of yellow, is not particularly showy as an individual specimen plant. It is branched and has only a few flowers on each stem. When this plant is in mass, though, it is quite noticeable. This aster is common in lawns and will bloom profusely even when mowed short.

Any or all of these four asters are definitely a desirable addition to your garden and could be planted with goldenrod, mistflower (blue boneset), and gay feather to make a spectacular show in the fall wildflower garden.