Description
Western blue-eyed grass is not really a grass at all, it is actually a delightful perennial wildflower in the Iris (Iridaceae) plant family, but it does have grass-like leaves. It grows to about one foot tall and has light blue to dark violet-blue flowers on slender stalks with a small yellow center. It blooms in early spring to summer, depending on elevation. After flowering it can go semi-dormant in the summer as a drought adaptation.
Found naturally in open and sunny, seasonally moist meadows, grassy areas, seeps, vernal wetlands, openings in chaparral, foothill woodland, and openings in forests at low to high elevations.
Western blue eyed grass is tolerant of a wide variety of soils, including clay and sand. It prefers to grow in full sun to part-shade. Although it is drought tolerant, it enjoys habitats that are at least vernally moist. In the garden it will benefit from occasional summer watering.
Western blue eyed grass is a geophyte that grows slowly from a compact rhizome. It is considered somewhat deer resistant and is attractive to pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, and more, including small, specialized solitary bees.
Western blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum) seed packets contain approximately 85 seeds per packet
Seed Germination Instructions
30-60 days of cold-moist stratification is recommended. Surface sow or lightly cover with sifted soil. Sow seeds outside in fall and let nature do the stratification naturally outside, if you have cold enough winters. If you live in an area with mild winters, you may need to provide the cold-moist stratification artificially. For more information please read through the information in our Seed Germination and Propagation Reference Guide.
