Baby Blue Eyes

Nemophila menziesii

Baby Blue Eyes
Photo by Pam Morgan

Native Plants A-Z

Alaska Oniongrass (Melica subulata)

Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii)

Black Sage (Salvia mellifera)

Blue Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea)

Blue Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)

Blue Wildrye (Elymus glaucus)

Blueblossom (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus)

Bush Monkey Flower (Diplacus aurantiacus)

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

California Bee Plant (Scrophularia californica)

California Brome (Bromus carinatus)

California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)

California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica)

California Fescue (Festuca californica)

California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum)

California Hazel (Corylus cornuta californica)

California Hedge Nettle (Stachys bullata)

California Oatgrass (Danthonia californica)

California Phacelia (Phacelia californica)

California Pipevine / California Dutchman’s Pipe

California Poppy (Eschcholzia californica)

California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica)

California Wax Myrtle (Morella californica)

Clarkia (Clarkia unguiculat)

Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

Coastal Bush Lupine (Lupinus arborous)

Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)

Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa)

Crevice Alumroot (Heuchera micrantha)

Dense Sedge (Carex densa)

Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana)

Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)

False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum stellatum)

Firecracker Brodiaea (Dichelostemma ida-maia)

Foothill Sedge (Carex tumulicola)

Fuchsiaflower Gooseberry (Ribes speciosum)

Giant Chain Fern (Woodwardia fimbriata)

Giant Wild Rye (Elymus condensatus)

Golden Currant (Ribes auraum)

Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum)

Gum Plant (Grindelia hirsutula)

Hooker’s Evening Primrose (Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri)

Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea)

Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis)

Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)

Leopard Lily (Lilium pardilinum)

Milkmaids (Cardamine californica, Dentaria californica)

Pacific Aster (Symphyotrichum chilense)

Pacific Hound’s Tongue (Cynoglossum grande)

Baby Blue Eyes is an eye-popping delicate little plant that blooms in early Spring with baby blue petals with a white center, usually with blue veins and black dots near the center. The plant grows throughout California from the coastal range up to 6,000 feet.

Normally native to sandy, loamy open areas, it is easy to grow from seed along with other annuals in wildlife gardens or meadows with Poppies and Goldfields. It also grows in other habitats, including chaparral, coastal Sage scrub, Oak woodlands, and valley grasslands.

Baby Blue Eyes

Nemophila menziesii

KEY DETAILS

Plant Type

Annual herb

Light

Full shade, part shade, full sun

Soil

Loamy

Size

Bloom Time

Spring

Sun Exposures per day

Shade:  Less than 3 hours of direct sun

Part shade: 3-4 hours of direct sun

Part Sun: 5–6 hours of direct sun

Full Sun:  Receives 6+ hours of direct sun