(Gilia tricolor 'Bird's Eye')

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Bird's Eye is a California native annual flower that can be found growing in grassy plains and slopes. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 1-2' and features an elegant hairy stem, feather-like leaves, and beautiful tubular five petaled flowers that are pale purple on the edges, followed by a white then deep purple ring, ending in a yellow center that is offset by five light blue stamens. This plant can be grown in containers, it attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, can be used as a cut flower, and it self sows! 

  • General Information
  • Starting Bird's Eye Seeds
  • Crop Care
  • Harvesting
  • Seed Saving
  • Companion Planting
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​Family: Polemoniaceae 

Genus: Gilia 

Species: tricolor

Variety: Bird's Eye

Native to: California

Introduced into: Czechoslovakia

Also known as: Bird's Eyes Gilia

Grown as: Annual

Maturity (Bloom): Spring

Crops: Spring, Summer

Growing Conditions: This plant adapts well to areas with rocky, clay, or sandy soil.

Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 70°F. 

​Start Indoors: Yes

Start Outdoors: Yes

Small Gardens?: Yes

Light: Half Sun/Half Shade

Water: Medium. Keep the soil moist as the seedlings develop.

Containers?: Yes. 

Attracts beneficial insects?: Yes. Extremely attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.

Height: 12-24"

Spacing: 15-18"
​
Sow Depth: Press into soil surface.

Produces: an elegant hairy stem, feather-like leaves, and beautiful tubular five petaled flowers that are pale purple on the edges, followed by a white then deep purple ring, ending in a yellow center that is offset by five light blue stamens. 

USDA Grow Zone: 3a-10b

Starting Bird's Eye seeds Indoors for Spring

To start Bird's Eye seeds indoors, mix the seed with moist sand and store it in the refrigerator for 30 days prior to sowing seeds in 2" Soil Blocks or individual peat pots 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Keep the soil lightly moist and at a temperature of 70 degrees F until germination, which usually occurs within two weeks.

Transplanting Bird's Eye Seedlings Outdoors for Spring

​When the weather has warmed and your Bird's Eye seedlings are well established, transplant them outdoors. Bird's Eye adapts well to areas with rocky, clay, or sandy soil.

Starting Your Bird's Eye Seeds Outdoors for Spring

For spring planting, mix the seed with moist sand and store it in the refrigerator for 30 days before direct sowing the seeds outdoors 15-18" apart.

​Starting Your Bird's Eye Seeds Outdoors for Fall

Direct sow your Bird's Eye seeds in late fall, pressing them into the surface of the soil 15-18" apart.
Keep the soil moist as the seedlings develop, which will happen rather slowly at first. Mature plants tolerate drought well, preferring hot and dry conditions; do not overwater, since this can cause disease. This plant will self-sow and is extremely attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.
For fresh flowers, cut long stems of flowers that have just opened and place them in water immediately; strip the leaves that will fall below the water.
After blooming, the flowers will become dry capsules that open to reveal several brown seeds; cut the ripened heads or simply shake the entire plant over a container to remove the seeds. Store the cleaned seed in a cool, dry place.

Companion Planting

It is best used in a meadow-like setting with other annuals, herbaceous perennials and geophytes, including Mariposa Lily (Calochortus sp.), Owl's Clover (Castilleja exserta), Clarkia sp., Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla), Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Tidy Tips (Layia platyglossa), Lupine (Lupinus sp.), Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii), Wind Poppy (Papaver heterphyllum), and Penstemon sp.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems.

Suggested Varieties

(Clarkia pulchella ‘Deerhorn’)

Deerhorn Clarkia is a native annual flower that can commonly be found growing in rocky forest and grasslands, or in disturbed soils throughout the northwest United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 18” and features a hairy erect stem that has 2-3” lance-shaped leaves alternating around it, and topped with clusters of four divided fuchsia flower petals and a prominent white pistil. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!  
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(Collinsia heterophylla ‘Chinese Houses’)

Chinese Houses is a cool weather annual flower that is native to California but can be found growing in woodlands and grasslands, or on the slopes of foothills throughout Illinois and Kentucky. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 2' and features narrow pointed leaves and circular tiers of ½-¾” flowers with two white upper petals and two fuchsia lower petals. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees and butterflies, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!  
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(Lupinus succulentus ‘Arroyo’)

Arroyo Lupine is a native short-lived perennial flower that can be found growing in moist meadows and grasslands throughout the southwestern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-24” and features 1-2' stem spikes, star-shaped leaflet clusters, and bright blueish-purple pea-like flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, and humming birds, is resistant to deer, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Lupinus polyphyllus ‘Russell’)

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Russell Lupine is a native short-lived perennial flower that can be found growing in moist meadows, and along roads and shore lines throughout the northwestern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-24” and features 1-2' stem spikes, star-shaped leaflet clusters, and pink, red, yellow, and blue pea-like flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, and humming birds, is resistant to deer, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Lupinus nanus ‘Sky Mix’)

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Sky Lupine is a native short-lived perennial flower that can be found growing in grassy fields, slopes, and hills throughout the southwestern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-16” and features 8-16” stem spikes, star-shaped leaflet clusters, and blue, white, pink, and purple pea-like flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, and humming birds, is resistant to deer, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Penstemon palmeri ‘Palmer's’)

Palmer's Penstemon is a perennial flower that is native to the United States that can be commonly found growing in rocky areas of grasslands and desert mountains. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 3” and features branched stems, grayish leaves, and large white flowers that have pink stains. This plant can be grown in containers, it attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, tolerates drought, is resistant to deer, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Penstemon strictus ‘Rocky Mountain’)

Rocky Mountain Penstemon is a native perennial flower that can be commonly found growing in the southwestern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 3' and features large lance-shaped green leaves, towering stems, and bluish/purple tubular flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, hoverflies, and lady bugs, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, and is great as a cut flower! 
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(Penstemon Hartwegii ‘Scarlet Queen’)

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Scarlet Queen Penstemon is a short-lived perennial flower that is native to Mexico but can be commonly found growing in open deserts and moist forests throughout the southern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 36” and features hairy upright stems, narrow lance-shaped green leaves, and tubular white two-lipped flowers that have scarlet red edgings. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, tolerates drought, is resistant to deer, and is great as a cut flower! 
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(Eschscholzia californica ‘Carmine King’)

Carmine King California Poppy is a native cool weather short-lived perennial flower that can be commonly found growing in open areas, hillsides, and along roads throughout the western United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-15” and features bluish green fern-like leaves and 3” 4 petal cup-shaped pinkish red flowers. This plant attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Eschscholzia caespitosa ‘Dwarf’)

Dwarf California Poppy is a native cool weather annual flower that can be commonly found growing in dry flats, grasslands, and bushy slopes throughout California and Oregon. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 4-12” and features 4 petal cup-shaped golden-orange flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Eschscholzia californica ‘Golden West’)

Golden West California Poppy is a native cool weather short-lived perennial flower that can be commonly found growing in costal bluffs and inland valleys throughout the western United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-16” and features bluish green fern-like leaves and 3” 4 petal cup-shaped golden orange flowers. This plant attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Eschscholzia californica ‘Ivory Castle’)

Ivory Castle California Poppy is a native cool weather short-lived perennial flower that can be commonly found growing in open areas, hillsides, and along roads throughout the western United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-16” and features bluish green fern-like leaves and 3” 4 petal cup-shaped white flowers that have pale yellow centers. This plant attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Eschscholzia californica ‘Mikado’)

Mikado California Poppy is a native cool weather short-lived perennial flower that can be commonly found growing in open areas, hillsides, and along roads throughout the western United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-16” and features bluish green fern-like leaves and 3” 4 petal cup-shaped orange-red flowers. This plant attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Eschscholzia californica ‘Orange’)

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Orange California Poppy is a native cool weather short-lived perennial flower that can be commonly found growing in open areas, hillsides, and along roads throughout the western United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-16” and features bluish green fern-like leaves and 3” 4 petal cup-shaped golden-orange flowers. This plant attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Eschscholzia californica ‘Purple Gleam’)

Purple Gleam California Poppy is a native cool weather short-lived perennial flower that can be commonly found growing in open areas, hillsides, and along roads throughout the western United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-16” and features bluish green fern-like leaves and 3” 4 petal cup-shaped purplish-pink flowers that have a white x colored base. This plant attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Eschscholzia californica ‘Red Chief’)

Red Chief California Poppy is a native cool weather short-lived perennial flower that can be commonly found growing in open areas, hillsides, and along roads throughout the western United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-16” and features bluish green fern-like leaves and 3” 4 petal cup-shaped crimson flowers that have a yellow center. This plant attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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(Eschscholzia californica ‘White Linen’)

White Linen California Poppy is a native cool weather short-lived perennial flower that can be commonly found growing in open areas, hillsides, and along roads throughout the western United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-16” and features bluish green fern-like leaves and 3” 4 petal cup-shaped white flowers that have accented yellow centers. This plant attracts bees and butterflies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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