(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
On my first visit to Reflection Riding Arboretum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I discovered a wonderful blue and white wildflower – Blue-Eyed Mary (Collinsea Verna). I’d never seen it before. Fortunately for me, one of the trustees at Reflection Riding stopped to talk with me – and he not only identified the plant as Blue-Eyed Mary, but let me know I was very lucky to be seeing it. It only blooms for a short time in Tennessee, and when I returned to Reflection Riding ten days later, I didn’t see any Blue-Eyed Mary. This was a case of being in the right place at the right time to discover a new wildflower.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Blue-Eyed Mary is a member of the Scrophulariaceae or Figwort family. It is native to North America, found in New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohis, Kentucky, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas in the United States. It is also found in Ontario Canada. It is listed as an endangered plant in Tennessee and New York. The genus collinsia are named after Zaccheus Collins (1764-1831), a botanist and Vice President of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. The species name verna comes from the Latin for spring.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Blue-Eyed Mary’s grow on a single stalk to about 18″ tall. The flowers are blue and white – with 2 white upper lobes and 3 lower lobes (2 blue, 1 white). The flowers are less than an inch wide. They are one of the few truly blue wildflowers I’ve seen.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Blue-Eyed Mary grows best in dappled sunlight to light shade. It frequently grows in low woods and along streambanks. Depending on where you find it, Blue-Eyed Mary blooms from April through June.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Blue-Eyed Mary is a wonderful spring wildflower. I’m really glad I had a chance to see and photograph it on my visit to Reflection Riding Arboretum
For more information about Blue-Eyed Mary, here are some sites with additional info
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Yes, and being in “the right place at the right time” is what I call a “spiritual experience.” Who knew?! 🙂 Love you Patty! I do see a book in your future with wonderful stories about your adventures and comments about magical experiences like this!