Native Plants
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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
rate this answer
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
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
What to plant between patio flagstones in Austin, TX?
May 16, 2011 - I would like to plant something between my flagstones on the patio. Something that doesn't require a lot of water, low growing, and can stand a little to moderate traffic. It is in a shade to partly...
view the full question and answer
Transplant shock in Dakota mock vervain
July 23, 2007 - We just planted some Verbena bipinnatifida in our back yard and when we planted it, it had purple flowers on it but now they've all dried up. We live in central Colorado and thought this plant was fa...
view the full question and answer
Small plants for space between stones on a path
November 03, 2007 - We've just installed a stone path (unmortared) near our house and are looking for plants/seeds that would do well in the gaps between the flagstones. Naturally they need to be very low growing and h...
view the full question and answer
Annual flowers for rocky area near driveway in Pennsylvania
May 25, 2010 - What type(s) of annual flowers can I plant along a driveway in northeast PA? The soil is very rocky and the area is mostly shady receiving only morning and some late afternoon sun.
view the full question and answer
Area under live oaks from Austin
October 08, 2012 - We have many live oaks in our mostly shaded half acre. While I have tried to plant mostly native plants, often beneath them, the plants are showered with leathery leaves, acorns and sap, while oak sp...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |