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Native Plant Database

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Sisyrinchium campestre (Prairie blue-eyed grass)
Flaigg, Norman G.

Sisyrinchium campestre Bickn.

Prairie blue-eyed grass, Prairie blue-eyed-grass, White-eyed grass

Iridaceae (Iris Family)

USDA Symbol: sica9

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A small, dainty member of the Iris family, white-eyed grass has pale-green, grass-like leaves and blue to white, star-like flowers with yellow centers. The flowers, which occur on slender stems at the same height at the leaves, bloom only on sunny days. The clumped perennial is 8-15 in. tall.

A member of the iris family (family Iridaceae) which consists of herbs growing from rhizomes, bulbs, or corms, with narrow basal leaves and showy clusters at the tips of long stalks. There are about 60 genera and 1,500 species, distributed in temperate and tropical regions. Among them, Iris, Freesia, Gladiolus, Bugle Lily, and Montbretia are popular ornamentals. Saffron dye is obtained from Crocus, and essence of violets, used in perfumes, is extracted from the rhizomes of Iris.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue
Bloom Time: May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AR , IA , IL , KS , LA , MI , MN , MO , MS , NE , NM , OK , SD , TX , WI
Native Distribution: WI to Man., s. to IL, LA & TX
Native Habitat: Prairies; open woods
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Sandy soils.
Conditions Comments: Not Available

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Sisyrinchium campestre in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Sisyrinchium campestre in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Sisyrinchium campestre

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-10-03
Research By: TWC Staff

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