Common Name: pale yellow-eyed grass
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Iridaceae
Native Range: Argentina, Chile
Zone: 5 to 9
Height: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Pale yellow
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Drought
Culture
Best grown in consistently moist, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade. Plants have some drought tolerance once established. Sharp soil drainage is essential. Leaves may yellow after bloom, at which point the clumps may be sheared back to 6" to tidy the foliage for the remaining part of the growing season. Plants will spread over time by creeping rootstocks to form large clumps. May self-seed in the garden. Promptly remove spent flowers to avoid self-seeding.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Sisyrinchium striatum, commonly called pale yellow-eyed grass or Argentine blue-eyed grass, is an evergreen to semi-evergreen perennial that is native to alpine grasslands, meadows and open woods in Argentina and Chile. Stiff, upright, sword-shaped, gray green leaves (3/4" to 1" wide) grow in a clump to 18" tall. Leaves are wider and more iris-like than the leaves of most other species of Sisyrinchium. Naked flower spikes rise in May-June to 12-24" tall bearing clusters of cup-shaped, pale yellow flowers (to 3/4" wide) with golden centers. Each flower has six tepals with longitudinal dark purple stripes on the backsides. Flowers are followed by black seed pods.
Genus name comes from the ancient Greek name for another plant.
Specific epithet means striped.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Rock gardens, border fronts or open woodland gardens. Best in groups or massed. Naturalize in cottage gardens or informal garden areas.