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(Sisyrinchium californicum)
Golden Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium californicum)
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Scott Yarger
Public Domain
Image By:
Scott Yarger
Recorded By:
Copyright:
Public Domain
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Scott Yarger | License Type: Public Domain | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ | Rights Holder: Scott Yarger | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2016-04-03T00:11:41-07:00 |
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Sisyrinchium californicum, commonly known as Golden Blue-Eyed Grass, is a semi-deciduous perennial herb more closely related to irises than grasses. It is native to moist meadows, coastal prairies, and the edges of wetlands along the Pacific Coast of the USA and extending into Southern Canada. This species typically grows up to about 60 centimeters tall and features pale green, nonwaxy stems that darken to brown or black when dried. The grass-like leaves are flat and narrow, contributing to its grassy appearance. Golden Blue-Eyed Grass blooms with six-tepaled flowers that are light to bright yellow, often with distinctive brown veining, and the flowering season extends through spring and summer. The flowers are modest in size but can be quite showy when in mass bloom. The fruit is a dark-colored capsule that follows the flowers.
Golden Blue-Eyed Grass is valued for its bright, cheerful flowers and its ability to thrive in wet conditions, making it suitable for rain gardens, water features, and as a ground cover in moist areas of the garden. It is also used to add color and texture to native plant gardens and meadowscapes. While it prefers full sun, it can tolerate part shade, especially in hotter climates. It is adaptable to a range of soil drainage conditions but requires consistent moisture to flourish. Gardeners should be aware that in ideal conditions, it can spread vigorously by rhizomes, which may require management to prevent unwanted naturalization.CC BY-SA 4.0
Golden Blue-Eyed Grass is valued for its bright, cheerful flowers and its ability to thrive in wet conditions, making it suitable for rain gardens, water features, and as a ground cover in moist areas of the garden. It is also used to add color and texture to native plant gardens and meadowscapes. While it prefers full sun, it can tolerate part shade, especially in hotter climates. It is adaptable to a range of soil drainage conditions but requires consistent moisture to flourish. Gardeners should be aware that in ideal conditions, it can spread vigorously by rhizomes, which may require management to prevent unwanted naturalization.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Herb
- Height: 0.5-1 feet
- Width: 0.5-0.8 feet
- Growth Rate: Rapid
- Flower Color: Yellow
- Flowering Season: Spring, Summer
- Leaf Retention: Semi-deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
- Water: Medium
- Drainage: Medium
Common Uses
Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Border Plant, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Erosion Control, Potted Plant, Rabbit Resistant, Rock Garden, Salt Tolerant, Water Garden
Natural Habitat
Moist meadows, coastal prairies, and edges of wetlands along the Pacific Coast
Other Names
Common Names: Yellow-Eyed Grass , Golden-Eyed-Grass , Gele Bieslelie , Gul Gräslilja
Scientific Names: Sisyrinchium californicum , Hydastylus borealis , Hydastylus brachypus , Sisyrinchium boreale , Sisyrinchium brachypus , Sisyrinchium lineatum , Hydastylus californicus , Bermudiana californica , Echthronema californica , Hydastilus borealis
GBIF Accepted Name: Sisyrinchium californicum (Ker Gawl.) Dryand.