Sisyrinchium angustifolium Lucerne

Sisyrinchium angustifolium 'Lucerne' is a lovely plant with narrow leaves, more floriferous and with larger and more brightly coloured flowers than its wild ancestors. This small perennial is related to irises and forms a tuft of evergreen, grass-like foliage. In late spring it produces flower stalks adorned with luminous, star-shaped, intense blue-mauve flowers with a golden centre. This delicate plant is cheerful and easy to grow and will find a place along a path or in a border, or rock garden that is not too dry, best in full sun so that its flowers open fully.

Sisyrinchium Lucerne was discovered in a nursery not far from the Swiss city of Lucerne. One of its identified parents, the Sisyrinchium angustifolium, is native to the United States where it grows in meadows, fallow land, slopes, and clearings, blending in with the grasses when not in bloom. This plant likes limestone soils and thrives near streams, but it can also adapt to drier environments. In the USA, it is known as "blue-eyes-grass". It belongs to the Iridaceae family.

Sisyrinchium 'Lucerne' is a small perennial, reaching no more than 35 cm (14in) high when in bloom, and 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12in) for its foliage. The plant has a short, non-spreading rhizome, allowing it to spread slightly in width by producing new rosettes of leaves. It develops narrow, ribbon-like leaves, overlapping and arranged in a fan shape which persists throughout winter.

It flowers in late spring, in May-June, and will sometimes continue more sporadically until September. Multiple rigid and flattened flower stalks branch out from the emerging foliage. Each flower is approximately 4-5 cm (2in) in diameter, and consists of 6 light blue-mauve petals streaked with violet, arranged in a star shape around a small golden throat. After pollination by insects, the flowers occasionally produce small round capsules of small round, grey seeds. This hybrid variety 'Lucerne' self-seeds much less than the species.

Sisyrinchium 'Lucerne' will be stunning planted en masse along a path or to highlight the curve of a border. It will also make a great impact in a not-too-dry rock garden. A truly attractive and easy plant in many ways, it also brightens the surroundings of waterfalls and artificial streams, popping up here and there to give the landscape a natural look. It goes well with aubrietas, dwarf perennial geraniums, or creeping veronicas. This perennial will also look good in a planter, or a window box.