Western Blue-Eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium bellum
Blue Eyed Grass is a grassy-looking perennial herb. The long, narrow bladed leaves are tufted. From among the leaves emerge flowered stems, which can grow as long as 24 inches tall. The purplish-blue flowers have faint, dark lines running from the petal tips to the base and are 1-2 centimeters in diameter. There are six petals, which surround bright yellow pollen centers.
Basic Information
Member of the figwort family, Iridaceae
Perennial herb
Summer deciduous — After flowering, the plant dies back to the ground and goes dormant
In parts of its range, western blue-eyed grass was previously classified as Sisyrinchium eastwoodiae, S. greenei and S. hesperium, but these names are now considered synonyms
Habitat
Native range extends from Vancouver to California to Baja California in the south, from the Cascades and Sierra Nevadas west to the coasts
Primarily found in open grassy places and woodlands
Ecological Role
Moderately fire resistant because it easily reseeds
Reproduction
Blooms from March-July
Occasionally white flowers are found
Grows in colony’s which spread from creeping underground rhizomes which enlarge the plant annually
Alternative Names
California Blue-eyed-grass, Western Blue-eyed Grass
Historical Uses
The Ohlone and other Bay Area coastal tribes used an infusion of the roots and leaves as a cure for indigestion and stomach pain
An infusion of the roots was used by the Kashaya Pomo to treat asthma
