Sisyrinchium angustifolium
An eastern North American native perennial in the iris family with basal, grasslike foliage and fibrous roots, it bears violet-blue flowers with yellow eyes from May to July and forms clumps in moist to well-drained soils from sun to partial shade.
Common Names
Blue-Eyed Grass, Narrow-Leaved Blue-Eyed Grass, Bermuda Blue-Eyed Grass, Stout Blue-Eyed Grass
Summary
Sisyrinchium angustifolium, commonly called narrowleaf blue-eyed grass, is a herbaceous perennial in the iris family native to eastern North America, it forms dense clumps of narrow, grasslike leaves with upright stems bearing blue to violet-blue flowers that have a yellow eye and grow about 8 to 20 inches tall, blooming in spring to early summer, although grasslike in appearance, it is not a true grass, for cultivation, plant in full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.0 to 7.0, it tolerates poorer soils and benefits from consistent moisture, it can be propagated by seed or division and tends to self-seed in favorable conditions, divisions every 2 to 3 years help maintain vigor, it suits ground cover, wildflower and woodland garden settings, and is appropriate for meadow, prairie, and border plantings, providing wildlife benefits by attracting bees and butterflies.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
8-20 inches
Spread
6-12 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full Sun, tolerates partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil with good drainage, consistently moist but not waterlogged
Soil pH
5.0-7.0
Bloom Color
Blue
Bloom Time
Spring and Summer
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Moderate
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, other pollinators, and birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Mill.
- Publication
- Gard. Dict., ed. 8. : n.° 2 (1768)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asparagales
- Family
- Iridaceae
- Genus
- Sisyrinchium
Synonyms
Marica mucronata Sisyrinchium excisum Sisyrinchium cultrifolium Sisyrinchium gramineum Sisyrinchium graminoides Sisyrinchium anceps Sisyrinchium acuminatum Sisyrinchium carolinianum Sisyrinchium membranaceum Sisyrinchium nuttallii Sisyrinchium iridioides Sisyrinchium hibernicum Sisyrinchium homomallum Sisyrinchium ramosum Bermudiana angustifolia Bermudiana graminea Bermudiana graminea Bermudiana homomalla Bermudiana iridifolia Ferraria pulchella Sisyrinchium bermudiana var. anceps Bermudiana bermudiana f. graminoides Bermudiana bermudiana var. angustifolia Sisyrinchium bermudiana subsp. angustifolium Bermudiana bermudiana var. albida Sisyrinchium angustifolium f. album Bermudiana graminifolia Ferraria violacea