Collinsia parviflora

Common Names

Blue-Eyed Mary

Summary

Collinsia parviflora, commonly called Blue-eyed Mary or maiden blue-eyed Mary, is an annual herb in the Plantaginaceae native to western and northern North America, it grows 3–40 cm tall with stems erect to decumbent or branched, leaves opposite or whorled, oblanceolate, 1.5–3 cm long, green above and purplish beneath, the inflorescence is a spike-like raceme that starts dense and becomes elongated, flowers are two-lipped with a white upper lip and blue lower lip, corolla 4–8 mm long, calyx 1.3–2.3 cm long, fruit is a capsule, plants have reddish-purple stems and occur in moist, shady montane habitats at elevations about 900–2700 m, with bloom from March to July, often forming large colonies with tiny blue and white flowers, it is an annual commonly found in moist, shady montane habitats such as sagebrush communities, pinyon–juniper woodlands, aspen stands, and ponderosa pine and spruce–fir forests across western and northern North America, it is described as a spring ephemeral and blooms March to July, pollination occurs by Bombus species, it can be used in native plantings, habitat restoration, and wildflower mixes to provide small blue and white bilabiate flowers that support native bees, it tolerates shade and moist soils but is not salt-tolerant and may form large colonies in suitable environments

Lifecycle

Annual

Height

2–16 inches

Spread

1-16 inches

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade.

Soil Type

Sterile rocky soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil that dries out rapidly in summer (dry to moderately dry moisture regime)

Soil pH

6-7

Bloom Color

Blue

Bloom Time

Spring (March–July)

Foliage Color

Green, sometimes with purplish underside

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Other

Growth Rate

Annual

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, flies, beetles, and wasps