Growing Blue Eyed Grass in the Northeast Florida Landscape
Origins and Habitiat of Blue Eyed Grass sisyrinchium angustifolium/ atlanticum :
Native to all of Florida and found growing in moist to wet flatwoods, moist or wet prairie, moist open habitat spaces including marshes, pond shorelines, swamp edges and grassy roadsides. They are a long lived winter dormant perennial that puts on this stunning display of flowers in the springtime that our local pollinators utilize and the seeds are a source of food for our local birds. It has no serious pest or disease issues for its a great easy care plant, especially for more wet areas of the landscape where other plants may suffer!
Blue Eyed Grass Blooms:
Each bloom has a lifespan of a single day and the flowering period is a brief few weeks in mid to late spring. Each bloom is a delicate sky blue with a yellow center and are born on the plant despite their brief existence in abundance! Seeing the blue eyed grass bloom is just one of those things you look forward to seeing each year when you have them incorporated into your landscape.
Blue Eyed Grass sisyrinchium angustifolium Preferred Exposure:
– Blue eyed Grass will tolerate full sun to partial sun situations in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine areas gardens and landscapes.
Blue Eyed Grass Foliage Form / Growth Habit and Size:
-Small tufts of delicate bright green grass blades grow 6-12 inches in height, and 8-12 inches in height and spreading. Grass blades are winter dormant and reemerge each year in early spring. May reseed to naturalize areas in moist to wet soils.
Florida Native Blue Eyed Grass Soil Preference / Salt tolerance:
– While not particular about soil components, blue eyed grass prefers to be planted into moist or wet areas of the landscape and will be right at home in places where other plants may not prefer to be like under or near a downspout from the roof gutters or low lying areas that have short periods of inundation and may puddle during heavy rains.
– Blue Eyed grass has a low salt tolerance and should be avoided on coastal properties.
Blue Eyed Grass Water Requirements:
– Blue Eyed Grass may require supplemental landscape irrigation during hot dry summers or prolonged periods of low local rainfall. Especially when planted in very well draining sandy soils.
Best Uses For Florida Native Blue Eyed Grass :
– Blue Eyed grass is a great choice for edge of border plantings, pondsides , near fountains, drippy water spickets, construction drains or water runnoff swells, or waterlow lying grass areas ( its mowable!
– Its just a great option for a low maintenance landscape plant that is well suited to moist soils.