Wildflowers in the lawn: Annual Blue-Eyed Grass

Ever skip a week of cutting your lawn and find out what is really growing there? This week I am going to cover a few wildflowers that are common colonizers of the perfectly imperfect, un-manicured lawn. When you look close you can find some fascinating wildflowers right under your toes.

Annual Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium rosulatum) is a common wildflower that grows among

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lawns, pastures and roadsides. The center of each patch of grass is prostrate and curves up along the edges where the tiny flowers present in a more upright habit. The petals of the blooms are a pale purple to pale blue with a darker purple center.

There are several Florida native species of Blue-eyed Grass, but the native-ness of this species is a thing of debate. Depending upon which plant atlas you use, this plant is listed as native or non-native from South America. Regardless of native status this diminutive, pretty grass is certainly Florida Friendly and needs little care to thrive.

The name of this species derives from the Greek sisyrinchi(um) which means “iris-like plant” and the species epithet rosulatum means “ with leaf rosette”