Blue Eyed Grass

Sisyrinchium
Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Photo: Pimmimemom

Blue Eyed Grass is considered a low growing ground cover and not a true grass. It is a wildflower and has distinct thin blades of grass that grow out during gardening season. Because of these thin leaves it also can be called Narrow-leaf blue eyed grass. Flowers about 3/4" wide appear in late spring and the plant grows out wide and averages 16" tall but can grow taller.

Depending on geographic location flower colors aren't always blue. In the grasslands and western United States there can be blue and white colors of bloom. This variety is known as Sisyrinchium montanum and has slightly wider leaves. California has varieties with yellow flowers while other plants throughout the Pacific Northwest produce purple flowers.

Sisyrinchium are from the Iridaceae, or Iris family, and many varieties are native to North America. The flowers have all the same features of an Iris and there are about 37 species distributed between the United States and Canada. Common native species in North America are Sisyrinchium angustifolium, S. bellum and S. californicum.

Apporximately 90 varieties are found throughout South America. These include Sisyrinchium arenarium, S. convolutum, S. macrocarpum and S. striatum.

There are other species native to other areas of the world but are few and far between. There are both rhizome annual plants and perennials. By far more common are the perennial varieties.

Blue Eyed Grass is a clumping plant. It is great for edging, meadow gardens, wildlife gardens, rock gardens and container gardens.

Other growing details important for the gardener are:

Grows in well in full or partial sunlight.
Prefers average to poor soil types. Rich soils encourage rank, sickly plants.
Average watering and soils must be able to drain well.
Drought tolerant.
Don't over mulch or rot may occur.
Deer Resistant - see below for more about deer issues.
Grows March through July, depending on planting zone.
Plant should be divided every other year or so. Other propagation is by brown seeds.

This shrub-like plant looks great along other low growing flowers that attract butterflies. Sedum and Daylillies add great texture to butterfly gardens include:

Sedum Plant

Daylillies

FYI:

The medicinal benefits offered from the various plant species are for laxative, upset stomach and diarrhea relief.
For more information regarding deer issues see:

Keeping Deer Out
Homemade Deer Repellent

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