One look outside on a short drive around Fort Worth is proof enough that spring has sprung, and bluebonnets are in full bloom.

There’s nothing that fills us more with Lone Star State pride quite like looking out at fields and highways lined with our gorgeous state flower, but at one point, you may have wondered what makes this flower special?

Where did the name come from?

On March 7, 1901, the Texas Legislature adopted the bluebonnet as the state flower. The flower is found in at least five different Lupinus species variations, however, only one bears the official name Lupinus texensis (amended on March 8, 1971). The flower’s common name was derived from its resemblance to a sunbonnet, which pioneer women wore to protect themselves from the sun.

The role of women in choosing the flower

Texas lawmakers (all men at that time) originally wanted the cactus (for hardiness and orchid-like beauty) or cotton to represent the state. However, the National Society of Colonial Dames of America successfully petitioned their case for the Lupinus Subcarnosus. In 1933, “Bluebonnets,” written by Julia D. Booth and Lora C. Crockett, was adopted as the state flower song.

While on your drive to see these majestic flowers, you may spot a wild friend or two. | Photo by @ando_kurohige

Where to see bluebonnets

Peak bluebonnet season extends from late-March to mid-April. Texas Hill Country often offers the best climate for the native Texan wildflower, but if you don't want to make the drive, here are a few closer places to stop by:

Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
Tandy Hills Natural Area
Longhorn Park (Benbrook Lake)
Airfield Falls Trailhead and Conservation Park
Or if you’re up for a bit of a drive, head ~70 miles southeast of Fort Worth to the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails for a sea of state flowers, starting Wednesday, April 1.

Pro tip: Don’t pick the bluebonnets. While it isn’t illegal, stomping or picking them won’t let them bloom next spring.