As legumes, they're soil enrichers, grabbing nitrogen from the air and fixing it into the dirt, giving a leg-up to plants that follow. Pollinators love them too, making your garden a buzzing hub of activity.

Bluebonnets can grow in conditions most plants would find hostile, including rocky hillsides, worn-out farmland and alongside highways. The plant’s drought tolerance is a key factor in its hardiness, but bluebonnets also have a trick up their sleeves: they produce their own nitrogen.