Sisyrinchium: Blue-Eyed Grass
Virtually maintenance free, our native Sisyrinchium brings some of the most beautiful textures and colors you'll ever see in the garden.
Plant care & info
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Sisyrinchium
Common Name: Blue-Eyed Grass, Yellow-Eyed Grass, Grass Widow
Western North America, British Columbia south through California, depending on species.
Short, grasslike, flattened leaves are arranged in a clump, parallel to the flowering stem. The flowers are mostly blue to purple, yellow in the case of S. californicum. All are rounded, single flowers of six petals that sometimes have a pointed tip.
Grows in full sun to partial shade, moist to dry conditions, depending on species. There’s a native Sisyrinchium, therefore, for every garden!
Virtually maintenance-free.
Does not seem to be particularly troubled by pests or diseases.
Some will self-seed more readily than others, but seeds can also be collected from their capsules and planted soon thereafter—in late summer into fall—or stored in a cool, dry space for planting in early spring. Clumps can also be divided in the early spring or late summer, which is probably the most reliable method.
Members of the Iris family, these dainty and diminutive plants are like jewels in the garden. Clumps of narrow, grassy leaves support stems of simple, six-petaled flowers that range in color—from intense blues to purple and yellow, depending on species.
They can be somewhat short-lived, but they can self-seed and clumps can be divided!
Explore NATIVE SISYRINCHIUM
Blue-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium bellum: Blue-eyed Grass
This deciduous native can grow up to sixteen inches tall, with miniature, iris-like leaves and small five-petal blue flowers that appear from mid spring to mid-summer. It prefers full sun and moist to wet conditions, especially in spring. It typically goes dormant during summer, and can handle the dry in the summer months as part of its normal cycle. It’s often confused with an east coast native, Sisyrinchium angustifolium, which is similar in appearance.
Yellow-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium californicum: Yellow-eyed Grass
This species does well in any wet, sunny spot in the garden. It typically grows on the margins of lakes, bogs and other wet places. This Sisyrinchium requires the most moisture, so it’s best placed in the wettest place in your garden. The flowers are a beautiful, bright, and buttery yellow. It will self-seed somewhat aggressively in situations that are moist enough.
Purple-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium douglasii: Purple-eyed Grass, Grass Widow
This taxonomy for this Sisyrinchium has changed, and it’s now known as Olysynium douglasii. Purple-eyed grass is a small, clumping plant with leaves that are less blade-like, and tends to grow in drier conditions. The flower is a deep, intense reddish-purple, with larger, rounded petals than the other Sisyrinchium. It also blooms earlier in the spring. Similar, but different.
Find Natives for your garden
We offer a great selection of Northwest Natives from spring through fall. The plants featured are highlighted favorites, but they do not represent ALL of the plants we carry. For a more complete list, see our Northwest Native Plant List.
