Why choose native plants? Pacific Northwest native plants know how to live here and how to thrive here. They often need much less water and less fertilizer. They spread slowly and are not invasive. They support a wide diversity of wildlife. And best of all, they look great!
Another showy annual for seasonally wet spots that dry out in the summer. Blue-eyed Mary is at home in the same conditions where you might find common camas, seablush, western buttercup, or even wetter-adapted plants such as meadowfoam and fragrant popcorn flower. It combines well with all of those species, and can even survive in drier and rocky soils if enough rainfall is available. Blue-eyed Mary is also tolerant of partial shade, making it a good understory plant. The narrow leaves of this plant tend to blend into spring grasses, finally becoming visible when it produces its striking blue and white (almost pea-like) flowers from April to June. Under optimal conditions this plant can reach around a foot in height, although it’s not uncommon to see it remain a bit smaller. With minimal competition, this is an annual that can re-seed itself, creating colorful swaths, especially around seasonally flooded locations, year after year. Attracts bees. Image courtesy of Northwest Meadowscapes. For a colorful 11×17 poster of all the PNW Native Annuals we offer, click here.
