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Monday, April 2, 2012

B is for ....


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 This little lady here....

Monarch Butterfly Picture from Wikpedia

....picked our next flower. The "Butterflyweed" Asclepias tuberosa , also know as "orange milkweed" or "butterfly milkweed". This plant attracts many species of butterflies. The Monarch larvae feed on the leaves as well. This plant grows in the sandy open soils of the eastern half of Texas. While the butterflies love this plant, it is poisonous to cattle.

Asclepias tuberosa
Picture from University of Texas Plant Resource Center

   And of course I can't leave out this famous Texas flower, I think the state would revoke my birth certificate.


Lupinus texensis
Picture from University of Texas Plant Resource Center
   Of course this is the "Texas Bluebonnet" Lupinus texensis. The "State Flower of Texas" is the most widely planted flower by the Texas Highway Department. It blooms in March, April, and May. On sunny weekends during those months you will find people stopping along the roads to take pictures in the bluebonnets. Just remember to watch for ants before you plop the baby in the middle of a beautiful bunch for that picture.

Want to know the legend of the bluebonnet check out my blog post from last year here.
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8 comments:

  1. Denise Covey April 2, 2012 at 1:26 AM

    PJ. How exquisite! And the names - Texas Bluebonnet, how sweet! I'm loving this theme so far...

    Thanks for your visit/comments on Ann's childhood.

    Denise

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  2. Karen Jones GowenApril 2, 2012 at 6:44 AM

    Lovely flowers! I could look at plant photos all month :)

    Welcome to the Challenge!

    KarenG

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  3. UnknownApril 2, 2012 at 7:23 AM

    Really cool. Those Monarchs come through Monterrey, where I live, every year in the migration. It's such a beautiful site. The sky fills with them.

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  4. Laura EnoApril 2, 2012 at 8:39 AM

    I had no idea the butterfly weed was poisonous to cattle. Gorgeous picture of the butterfly!

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  5. Jessica L. CelayaApril 2, 2012 at 8:48 AM

    Those are beautiful flowers and it is awesome learning about them. Thanks for your post.

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  6. Rosalind AdamApril 2, 2012 at 2:25 PM

    Lovely flowers. We have Blue Bonnets in the UK but we give them the name Lupin as their common name. I love the rich colours of their spikes but we've had an attack of huge greenfly on them in the last few years and they've suffered badly.

    I blogging the A to Z Challenge too at A to Z of Nostalgia

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  7. Elizabeth MuellerApril 2, 2012 at 2:54 PM

    I've always tried to grow butterfly bushes, but can never keep them alive. *sigh* love your post!

    Elizabeth

    A to Z co-host

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  8. Alex J. CavanaughApril 2, 2012 at 6:21 PM

    I take it ants really like bluebonnets as well?

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