Big Bend bluebonnet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big Bend bluebonnet |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lupinus
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| Species: |
havardii
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The Lupinus havardii is a beautiful wild plant. It's a type of lupin, which is a group of flowering plants. People often call it the Big Bend bluebonnet or Chisos bluebonnet. This plant grows naturally in parts of Texas and the Mexican state of Chihuahua. You can see its lovely flowers from January to June.
This bluebonnet likes to grow in certain places. It thrives in rocky areas, like hillsides with loose stones. You can also find it in sandy or silty soils near rivers. It grows in deserts, valleys, and on mountain slopes.
The Big Bend bluebonnet is an annual plant. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies, all within one year. It has a thin stem that branches out. This plant can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching up to 4 feet (about 1.2 meters) high!
Its flowers are about half an inch (1.2 cm) long. They are usually purple or blue. Each flower has a special white spot. This spot changes color as the flower gets older. It turns yellow, then finally red. The leaves of the plant look like a hand. Each leaf has about seven smaller parts, called leaflets.
How It Got Its Name
The scientific name of a plant often tells a story. The second part of Lupinus havardii, which is havardii, honors a special person. This person was Valery Havard. He was a surgeon and also a botanist. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants.
Images for kids
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Bluebonnets blooming in Big Bend National Park.
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White and blue Big Bend Bluebonnets growing wild in Presidio County, Texas.
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A rare pink Big Bend Bluebonnet found in the wild, Presidio County, Texas.
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Different colors of Big Bend Bluebonnets growing together in a greenhouse.
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Pink and blue Big Bend Bluebonnets being grown in a greenhouse.
