Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Saturday - February 23, 2013

From: Saluda, SC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources, Propagation, Herbs/Forbs, Wildflowers
Title: Source for dotted blue-eyed grass from Saluda SC
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I lived in Texas for several years and now live on acreage in South Carolina. I have heard that bluebonnets don't grow well in South Carolina. However, there is a place by the road near our house that has dotted blue eyed grass. I would like to buy a large quantity of this seed and plant it in one of our fields. I didn't see any listed at the Wildflower Center. Where can I purchase the dotted blue eyed grass seed and how do I cultivate it?

ANSWER:

Sisyrinchium langloisii (Roadside blue-eyed grass) also called Dotted Blue-Eyed Grass, is in our Native Plant Database. As you can see from this USDA Plant Profile Map, it is not native to South Carolina, but is native to nearby southeastern states, which would explain it having spread to your area. You can follow the plant link above to our webpage on this plant to learn more about its cultivation. This page didn't have as much information as you probably need so we went to the bottom of that page and clicked on the link to Google on the plant. There wasn't a whole lot of information there, either, but there was a technical article from Flora of North America.

Still searching on Google, we found ads from American Meadows and Amazon.

If you are just lonesome for bluebonnets or bluebonnet-like flowers, there are four species of Lupinus (related to Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet) native to South Carolina. They are:

Lupinus diffusus (Oak ridge lupine)

Lupinus perennis (Sundial lupine)

Lupinus perennis ssp. gracilis (Sundial lupine)

Lupinus villosus (Lady lupine)

You can do the same thing we did on the blue-eyed grass, follow each link to our webpage on each plant and then follow the Google link on each webpage for more information on that plant.

For sources closer to home, go to our National Suppliers Directory, put your town and state, or just your zipcode, in the "Enter Search Location" box and you will get a list of native plant nurseries, seed suppliers and consultants in your general area. Each has contact information so you can find out if they have what you want before you start driving around.

 

From the Image Gallery


Sundial lupine
Lupinus perennis

Sundial lupine
Lupinus perennis ssp. gracilis

Lady lupine
Lupinus villosus

More Wildflowers Questions

Curling, Red Leaves on Gaura
July 18, 2013 - My gaura had most of its lower leaves turn red and then fall off. It is July now, I bought and planted it in May where it seemed to do really well growing several more inches tall and blooming nicely....
view the full question and answer

Starting Venus Flytrap From Seed
September 05, 2013 - I am a high school student doing a project on the Venus flytrap and would like you to help me by answering the following questions: What are the Venus flytrap predators and prey? How to raise a Venus ...
view the full question and answer

Wildflower blooming in Austin in mid-March from Laceys Spring AL
February 27, 2013 - Hi I will be at and around the center the weekend of March 9 & 10 to exhibit in the Art and Artisan's Festival and plan to stay a few extra days to "wildflower" either before or after. What is you...
view the full question and answer

Time to mow bluebonnets from Smithville TX
April 12, 2012 - When is the best time to mow the seeded Bluebonnets? I have them and Drummond Phlox in my front yard. I need to clean and trim to start pulling the large numbers of Purple Hooked Sandburr.
view the full question and answer

Is there a variety of bluebonnet called black gumbo
February 04, 2008 - I live in Grimes County, Texas on the eastern edge of the Blackland Prairie. A few years ago my hillside of Bluebonnet seed was harvested. I was told it was a rare 'black gumbo' variety of bluebon...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.