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Here's how Houstonians can harvest their bluebonnet seeds for future seasons
What could be easier than growing wildflowers on their native land?
Spring's arrival brings a beautiful bloom of our state flower, the bluebonnet.
But come early summer, after the showy season, the journey of next year’s bluebonnets begins. So how do you harvest your bluebonnet seeds to ensure a vibrant bloom? (CultureMap editor's note: Although these grow as wildflowers, you can buy live bluebonnets earlier in the season or seeds at many nurseries around town. If all else fails, order seeds online!)
The first step, according to Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center horticulturist Leslie Uppinghouse, begins in early summer, around May or early June.
At this point in the season, the bluebonnets will be done flowering and the petals will start to dry and drop.
“You would want, if you can, to let the bluebonnets get good and ugly,” Uppinghouse said.
The seeds are located in the flowers’ fuzzy bean pods, which will start to ripen one to two weeks after the petals have dropped. The best time to pull the seeds is when the pods begin to yellow but have not yet turned brown. After this time, the pods will start to burst on their own.
As another option for harvesting, you can reach into one of the plant’s shallow root system and pull it out of the ground.
“In more formal garden settings, you’ll have other plants that are going to be blooming through the summer,” Uppinghouse said.
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Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.
