Blue-eyed Grass

Information on Blue-eyed Grass

Common Name: Blue-eyed Grass
Scientific Name: Sisyrinchium bermudiana
Irish Name: Feilistrín gorm
Family Group: Iridaceae
Distribution: View Map (Courtesy of the BSBI)
Flowering Period


Click for list of all flowering by month
Blue-eyed Grass is not easily confused with other wild plants on this web site.


This is a remarkable little plant but well worth looking out for in Counties Cork, Kerry and Clare. From June to August, small clusters of blue, 6-petalled, flowers (15-20mm) with yellow centres open in sunshine. The flowers are borne on flattened winged leafless stems. The plant has narrow basal leaves and is usually to be found in damp grassland and stony places. It was probably introduced into Ireland where it is not very commonly found. It belongs to the Iridaceae family

I was lucky enough to spot this little flower in a damp, marshy meadow in Sneem, Co Kerry in 2008 and I photographed it at that time.

If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre

This is a species for which Ireland holds or possibly holds more than 25% of the European population (Ireland Red List No. 10 Vascular Plants)

'Out of the clover & blue-eyed grass
He turned them into the river-lane;
One after another he let them pass,
Then fastened the meadow-bars again.'

Driving Home the Cows by Kate Putnam Osgood (b.1860)

Blue-eyed Grass
Blue-eyed Grass
Blue-eyed Grass
Blue-eyed Grass