'Barbara Bush Bluebonnet' developed by local horticulturalist
Parsons said the Barbara Bush Bluebonnet was the first and only bluebonnet planted at the White House.
A San Antonio horticulturalist has a unique connection to Barbara Bush. The retired Eyewitness News Gardner created the Barbara Bush Lavender Bluebonnet for the White House. It was originally part of a seed collection from South Central Texas in San Antonio found by John Fanick.
Jerry Parsons said the Barbara Bush Bluebonnet was the first and only bluebonnet planted at the White House. He explained how the flower came to
be: "We find a color that we like to increase and save the seed from it
the first year," he said. "And the second year, we plant it by itself and remove all the odd colors that come up, and isolate that one color, and it purifies itself."
Every spring, like clockwork, he would send hundreds of bluebonnets to our nation's capital.
"I think the Bush's being from Texas, they're going to want some bluebonnets at the White House," Parsons said.
Parsons said what makes it special is the color. He said the bluebonnets were planted by the private pool near the residence.
"You have to have sun to grow the bluebonnets," he said. "So, the only place they had sun was the swimming pool by their residence."
Parsons wasn't just part of the Barbara Bush Bluebonnet, he also created the Laura Bush Petunia. Today, it may be difficult to find the Barbara Bush Bluebonnet, because Parsons said they aren't increasing the seed of the flower.
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