Minnesota Wildflowers


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Sisyrinchium campestre (Prairie Blue-eyed Grass)

Plant Info
Also known as: White-eyed Grass
Genus:Sisyrinchium
Family:Iridaceae (Iris)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:sun; prairies, meadows, along railroads
Bloom season:May - July
Plant height:4 to 16 inches
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

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Detailed Information

Flower: 6-petals raceme

[photo of flowers] Flowers are ½ to ¾ inch across, pale blue to white with 6 tepals (petals) and a protruding yellow center. Each petal has a sharp point at the tip. A few flowers are clustered at the top of a stem, the flower stalks enclosed within a sheath about 1 to 2 inches long. The sheath color is green to purplish brown.

Leaves and stem: basal simple

[photo of stem] Leaves are grass-like blades in a tuft at the base of the plant, each 3 to 10 inches long, or about as long as the flower stems. The flower stems are winged, and about 1/8 inch wide. Each plant may have several stems.

Notes:

There are only 2 species of blue-eyed grass that grow in or adjacent to Ramsey County, and 1 or 2 more in Greater Minnesota. The other species have larger flowers, about 1 inch across, and are a deeper blue or blue-violet color.

Where to buy native seed and plants

Help support this site by buying seeds & plants from these vendors. Tell them we sent you!

  • Prairie Restorations - Bringing people together with the land
  • Shop for native seeds and plants at PrairieMoon.com!
  • Out Back Nursery and Landscaping - Where Ecology and Horticulture Unite
  • Shooting Star Native Seeds - Native Prairie Grass and Wildflower Seeds

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN June 2008

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Jeanne in Afton State Park
on: 2010-06-12 21:06:02

In bloom 5/16/2010

Posted by: Mark in Oakdale Nature Preserve
on: 2011-05-30 21:14:25

Blooming 5/30/11, approx 150 yards SSE of the Granada/45th St entrance.

Posted by: Pamela in Oak Grove, Anoka County
on: 2011-06-03 16:40:21

Found some of this along a dirt road in Oak Grove, blooming, 6/3/11.

Posted by: Diane in Bemidji
on: 2011-07-01 15:20:44

Surprised to see this in fairly high numbers in a sandy moist area near airport.

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