Helping You Become a More Successful Gardener
Plant Search
©Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Hydrophyllaceae
Nemophila menziesii
Baby Blue Eyes
Few garden annuals are American natives, but this little baby-blue-eyed gem is. Distributed across the American West from California up to Alaska, it is a cool season lover that tends to scorch in high heat. Native populations of this low-growing wildflower inhabit moist, sloped, open forests as well as scrub and grasslands where soil is often on the acid side.
The ferny green leaves of baby blue eyes are small, dissected and lightly hairy. Plants form low, spreading or trailing mounds and tend to bloom from winter to late-spring, depending on the climate and location of the population. The charming cupped, five-petaled flowers have blue petal tips and white centers. They are pollinated by insects, primarily bees. Each plant produces many small seeds that germinate in fall for winter and spring blooming.
Baby blue eyes is a popular flower for wildflower mixes but may also be purchased and grown on its own. Sow its seed directly in the ground where there is high light and the soil is moist and well-drained. It performs best when growing temperatures are mild. This true annual looks outstanding in containers and along bed edges where it pairs well with other cool season annuals like pot marigolds and sweet alyssum.
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Annual
Full Sun, Partial Sun
4"-6" / 10.2cm - 15.2cm
8"-12" / 20.3cm - 30.5cm
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Western United States, Alaska, California
Acidic, Neutral
Well Drained
Loam, Sand
Very Fast
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Cushion/Mound-forming
Spring, Summer, Winter
Showy
White, Blue, Light Blue, Sky Blue
Bicolor
Green
No
Single
Yes
Fine
Bedding Plant, Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Sometimes
© 2006-2012 Preferred Commerce. All Rights Reserved.
