Sisyrinchium californicum (Golden-Eyed Grass) - This perennial herb grows in a clump to 1 ft tall with gray-green narrow grass-like leaves. The small but showy yellow flowers are present May through July.
Plant in full sun and give regular irrigation. Cold hardy below to 15 F and resistant to deer predation. Self sows in wet areas and also tolerates occasional mowing
Sisyrinchium californica is native along the west coast of North America from British Columbia south to central California, where it grows in coastal moist habitats. The name for the genus comes from Ancient Greek word 'Sisyrinchíon' that was used by Pliny the_Elder and Theophrastus for the Barbary nut iris (Iris or Moraea sisyrinchium). It refers to word 'sisıra' meaning a shaggy goat's-hair coat for the corm tunics resemblance though the reason for applying this name to a genus of the New World Iridaceae is apparently arbitrary. The specific epithet is a reference to nativity to California. It is also called Yellow Eyed Grass. We grew this plant from 1998 to 2007 but discontinued when we stopped growing plants with higher water needs. We continue to grow its relatives, the blue-eyed grass relative Sisyrinchium bellum and Palm-leaf Yellow-Eyed Grass Sisyrinchium palmifolium.
The information about Sisyrinchium californica that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
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