Selected Plants of Navajo Rangelands

Take care of our Navajo Rangelands

Blue-eyed-grass
Azeetł’ohí
(a.k.a. Arizona blue-eyed grass)

Sisyrinchium arizonicum, showing yellow flower and the bladelike leaves

Blue-eyed grass, despite its name, is not always blue. The name refers to a number of plants in the iris family, some of which are yellow. Blue-eyed grass has typical iris leaves, which are folded toward the base. The flower is large, with petals over 5/8 inch long. This plant lives on rocky slopes at upper elevations.

Species found in the Four Corners region include Sisyrinchium demissum (stiff blue-eyed grass), which is blue, and Sisyrinchium arizonicum (Arizona blue-eyed grass), which is yellow.

Sisyrinchium arizonicum growth habit, very much like grasses
Yellow flower and seed capsules of Sisyrinchium arizonicum
Yellow flower and seed capsules of Sisyrinchium arizonicum
Sisyrinchium arizonicum showing small stature of plan
Purple/blue petals and yellow anthers of Sisyrinchium demissum
Sisyrinchium demissum, showing blue/purple flowers and grasslike growth habit

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