Smallflower Blue-Eyed Mary: The 27th Flower of Spring!

[best appreciated at full size against black]

Look at this pretty little pair! I was surprised to find them when I was walking around the property the other day, because last year I saw them in a different place! I also didn't know these flowers blossomed in April!

Smallflower Blue-Eyed Marys are in a genus called Collinsia, which includes about 25 species, and this one is among the smallest, measuring only about 1/4" in diameter! (We have two other species too, both of which are larger and bloom in May!) This beautiful little flower was used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans, though I couldn't find out what it was used for, however.

If you would like to know more about this tiny flower, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Smallflower Blue-eyed Mary

This image was taken in March, 2012.