Texans love their Bluebonnets, and lucky for you, campus is covered in them! Spring is just around the corner, and for just a few sweet weeks, Bluebonnets, the Texas state flower will be in full bloom. These breathtaking beauties make a spectacular appearance once a year, typically beginning around the end of March to the middle of April. In the spring, Texas wildflowers become the center of many road trips, but fortunately for members of the St. Edward’s community… there’s no need to look very far.
With the help of a very close friend who served as my model for the day, I have mapped out the most Instagramable spots on campus to get up close and personal with the Bluebonnets this Spring. Before you head out for the day, print your own Sustainability Map with Bluebonnets.
A Rule of Thumb before you start snapping your photos
Although it is not illegal to pick Bluebonnets in TX, it is strongly advised against. Please be courteous and take care of the flowers so that everyone can enjoy their breathtaking presence. Click here to learn more about the Do’s and Don’ts of picking Bluebonnets.
1. Unleash your inner child as you lounge and play in the Bluebonnet fields located directly behind the Student Apartments, Teresa, and East Hall.
2. Stand Texas proud alongside your new blue companions in front of our beautiful Main Building! Bluebonnets can be found just west of the Lewis-Chen Family Soccer Field.
3. Take a moment to relax between classes and find yourself amongst the Bluebonnets near the Premont and Doyle Hall parking lot.
4. See Fleck Hall in a newer, bluer light! Gorgeous Bluebonnets line the front of campus, giving our friends on South Congress street something incredible to look at.
If you’d like to create a Bluebonnet field at your home, Roy Johnson, the St. Edward’s University arborist, recommends forming mud balls with the seeds mixed in them. “This allows a soil medium to harbor the seed versus sowing the seed. It will ensure that the wind won’t blow it away and birds won’t eat them.
After making the mud balls with seeds, you just cast it wherever you want them to grow. Try to beak it up a bit as it hits the ground. Usually, the rain provides enough moisture. If possible, and certainly if it’s dry, supplemental water helps establish them. It’s definitely best to water the first 10-14 days, if possible. They often germinate and grow but do not flower as well the first year.
The important thing, besides patience, is to let the seed pods open up and spread new seeds for the following year. It can be tempting to mow down an area once it becomes unsightly, but it is very important to let them ‘seed out’ first. This is usually over sometime in June. You can inspect several seed pods to make sure that the cycle is complete.”
Written by Camille Dedeaux ’22
ENSP Major