April 12th, 2005
Nemophila insignis/phaceliodes
2005-03-25. Nemophila phaceliodes. Austin, TX
Valerie shared some seeds for baby blue eyes and now in their second spring in my garden they have really spread themselves around. Like the bluebonnets, larkspur, and Love-in-a-Mist, they grow during the winter and flower in the spring.
I’ve learned recently that there are various species of baby blues eyes. My plants are descended from seeds gathered, I believe, along the roadways of south Austin. Given that information, I realize it is probably our Texas native Nemophila placeliodes. The N. insignis (aka N. menziesii) sold by some seed companies is native to California and Oregon. This is one time that the Latin names prove more confusing than the common ones.
Baby blue eyes in front of a mass of spiderwort. Another week or so and this section of the yard will look very weedy.
by M Sinclair Stevens in Austin, Texas
June 29th, 2006
I love the Baby Blue Eyes. They are a sure sign of a intact riparian area. We need to band together to grow this seed and make it available especially to Texans.