Indian Pink, Beautiful Native

Indian Pink, also known as Pinkroot, is a native perennial wildflower. Its tubular flowers light up shady areas and attract hummingbirds. The Latin name, Spigelia marilandica (pronounced spy-GEEL-ee-ah mar-i-LAND-ih-kah) rolls off the tongue easily, with a musical quality that is absent in the common name. Spigelia is considered a threatened species in several states. I treasure my stand, and guard its good health. Plants are not widely found in nurseries. Mine came from a Native Plant Society sale.

Spigelia grows in light shade and prefers damp soil. It will survive periods of drought once established and will not tolerate a boggy area.  Keep the lime away from this one; it prefers an acidic-to-neutral home. Woodland soil high in organic content is ideal. Plants bloom in the Mary Snoddy garden in late-May to June, with flowers occurring at the top tips of the stems. The flowering period lasts several weeks. Plants reach heights up to three feet, in zones 5a through 9b. Flowers are red on the outside and yellow on the inside. The petal tips flare so that both colors are visible - gorgeous!

It takes several years for a newly planted Spigelia to reach its potential. Established clumps can be divided for propagation, but plants will reseed themselves if left alone. Flowers are followed by seed capsules that explode when ripe and spread their seeds around. It may take a year or two for those self-sown babies to bloom. Plants can also be propagated by cuttings taken in May, before flowering begins.

Appreciate Spigelia for its beauty but don’t be tempted to nibble. All parts are toxic, containing a form of strychnine poison.

Blue Eyed Grass - Petite Wildflower

Today’s blog features Sisyrinchium (pronounced sis-ee-RING-kee-um), commonly known as Blue Eyed Grass. Despite its name, it is not a grass but a member of the Iris family. Blue Eyed Grass is not a showstopper that will catch your eye from a distance. Rather, its subtle beauty is enjoyed as a little surprise in your lawn or flower beds. The blooms are tiny, so it is best appreciated when planted near to eye level, either from raised planters or containers. Blue Eyed Grass will grow in sun or partial shade. They spread fastest in damp soil but will do well in any well-drained soil, zones 4-9.

Seeds are available, but if you convince a friend to donate a clump, the plants will spread into colonies via rhizomes. Appearing in early spring and sporadically thereafter, the blue blooms have yellow throats that serve as runway lights to pollinators, directing them to the pollen and nectar-rich blossoms. Honeybees love this plant.

The grassy foliage of Sisyrinchium will blend into the lawn and can be sheared (translation: trimmed via lawnmower) without damaging the plant. Leaves may reach 10 inches or more in length, but their growth habit is more horizontal than upright, so the plant height is usually 6 inches or so.

Blue Eyed Grass isn’t a “wowzer” plant, but a sweet, delicate treat.

The yellow centers and darker veins are directional markers for honeybees.

Sweet little blooms, one-fourth the size of a thumbnail