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Sisyrinchium bellum

western blue-eyed grass

Iridaceae California and the Pacific coast

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 6–10

Overview

Sisyrinchium bellum is a clump-forming perennial in the iris family, growing 4-16 inches (10-40 cm) tall from a fan of narrow, grass-like leaves. Despite the common name, it is not a grass; the flattened, blue-green leaves are 0.1-0.2 inch (3-5 mm) wide and arise in tufts. From February to May, branched, winged stems carry clusters of star-shaped flowers 0.5-0.7 inch (1.3-1.8 cm) across, deep blue to blue-violet with a yellow throat and pointed, often bristle-tipped tepals. Each flower opens for a day and closes by evening. Native to California and adjoining parts of Oregon and Baja California, S. bellum grows in open grassland, coastal bluffs, and moist meadows that dry through summer. It self-sows readily, and the foliage dies back to a short rhizome during summer dormancy, reappearing with fall and winter rains. The plant is short-lived but maintains itself from seed, and individual clumps may fade after a few years. It tolerates clay and seasonal moisture and is hardy to USDA zone 6.

Native Range

Native to California and adjacent Oregon and Baja California. Grows in open grassland, coastal prairie, vernally moist meadows, and on bluffs below about 7,800 feet (2,400 m).

Suggested Uses

Grown in meadow and native plantings, rock gardens, borders, and container displays. Spaced 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) apart, it forms low spring-flowering tufts among grasses and other wildflowers.

How to Identify

Recognized by flat, grass-like blue-green leaf fans and flattened, winged flowering stems. The deep blue-violet, six-tepalled flowers have a yellow center and a small pointed tip on each tepal. The flowers open in daytime and the plant goes summer-dormant, unlike true grasses.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 1'4"

Width/Spread6" - 1'

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Winter Spring

Flowers open from February to May, with peak bloom in early spring. Each flower lasts a single day, and a clump produces a succession over several weeks. Round seed capsules follow and ripen as the foliage dies back for summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Blue to blue-violet with yellow throat

Foliage Description

Blue-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-9 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Sisyrinchium bellum grows in full sun to light shade in a range of soils, including clay, across a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It takes moisture in winter and spring and tolerates dry summer dormancy, needing no irrigation once established in its native climate. The plant is hardy to USDA zone 6 and self-sows to maintain a stand. Overhead summer water during dormancy can rot the rhizomes. It has no significant pests. Cutting back tired foliage after seed set tidies the clump.

Pruning

No formal pruning is needed. Spent flower stems and yellowing summer foliage can be sheared off to neaten the plant. Dividing clumps in fall every few years keeps them vigorous and spreads the planting.

Pruning Schedule

summer

Container Growing

✓ Suitable for container growing

Minimum container size: 1 gallons

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic