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Flaigg, Norman G.

Sisyrinchium campestre

Sisyrinchium campestre E.P. Bicknell

Prairie Blue-eyed Grass, White-eyed Grass

Iridaceae (Iris Family)

Synonym(s): Sisyrinchium campestre var. kansanum, Sisyrinchium flaviflorum, Sisyrinchium kansanum

USDA Symbol: SICA9

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

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

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 15 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Yellow , Blue
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , 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

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil Description: Sandy soils.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Nectar Source: yes

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 on display at the following locations:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 1294 - The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

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: 2023-02-27
Research By: TWC Staff

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