Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Cliffe, Harry

Sisyrinchium chilense

Sisyrinchium chilense Hook.

Swordleaf Blue-eyed Grass, Sword-leaf Blue-eyed Grass

Iridaceae (Iris Family)

Synonym(s): Sisyrinchium ensigerum, Sisyrinchium scabrum

USDA Symbol: SICH2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

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

12 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 1 foot tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Blue , Violet
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: OK , TX

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist

Benefit

Nectar Source: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Seed Collection: Collect seed in May, when seeds are black.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0741 Collected Apr 2, 1994 in Bexar County by Mike Fox
NPSOT 0208 Collected Apr. 14, 1992 in Comal County by Mary Beth White

2 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-11
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back