Common Name: Satin flower
Synonyms: Phaiophelps nigricans
Genus: Sisyrinchium
Height: 1 ft. to 3 ft.
Spread 6 in. to 12 in.
Growth Habit: Clumps
Growth Pace: Moderate Grower
Light: Full Sun Only
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Maintenance: Low
Tolerance: Drought Tolerant
Characteristics: Native; Self Seeds; Showy Flowers; Showy Foliage
Bloom Time: Early Summer; Summer
Flower Color: Yellow Flower
Uses: Beds and Borders, Container, Ground Covers, Naturalizing, Roadside
Style: Meadow Garden, Rock Garden
Seasonal Interest: Summer Interest
Type: Perennials
In early summer, these grass-like perennials produce multiple spikes of small, pale yellow blooms with dark yellow centers and faint purple stripes. The flowers rise above gray-green foliage.
Native to open woods, meadows, and prairies of South America, these adaptable wildflowers tolerate a wide range of conditions and naturalize easily. The summer blossoms each open for just one day with the morning sun and close at dusk. Rarely do the blooms open on cloudy days.
Plants grow to 3 feet tall and 10 inches wide. Hardiness zone 7 and above.
Care: Provide moderately fertile to the poor, neutral to slightly alkaline soil in full sun. This plant can grow in sandy or clay soil, but it resents winter moisture. It is drought tolerant once established.
Propagation: Sow seed in a cold frame in fall or early spring or divide after flowering. Seeds require stratification pre-treatment – wrap seeds in tissue and wet, place in a zip-lock bag, and refrigerate (not freezer) for 4-6 weeks then remove and sow 2mm deep. Best sown spring to early summer.