Wildflowers in May

In late February we often notice our first blooming Bluebonnets. They usually peak toward the end of March and early April. The pollinators (mainly native bees) visit the flowers and in April we notice the seed pods. Bluebonnets are annuals, which means the individual Bluebonnets will die this summer and the Bluebonnets you see next year will be from the seeds produced this year. Thus we admonish people not to mow the wildflowers until they have gone to seed.

HOWEVER, the seeds need to be ripe and fall to the ground before we mow. The Bluebonnet seeds in a closed pod that are visible the end of April are NOT ripe. Generally in May we will have a hot spell which results in the seed pods of the Bluebonnet splitting open.

You will see two “wings” of the seedpod with indentations within the pod where the seeds were located. When the seed pods split open the seeds are RIPE and they fall to the ground. When most of the seed pods have split open THEN you can mow with the assurance that next year you will have some Bluebonnets in the same area where they were found this year.

It is necessary for you to wait until the seeds are ripe before mowing other annual wildflowers as well. At the moment Indian Blanket (Gaillardia Pulchella) is blooming in my wildflower meadow (this is a lawn area protected from the deer that I have turned into a wildflower meadow). This colorful yellow, orange/red, and brown Indian Blanket flower is an annual in Central Texas. It too will return in my yard next year if I allow the seedheads to mature before I mow. I hope you too are enjoying a colorful Spring.

Written by Jackie Mattice, Hays County Master Naturalist