Bird's Eye Gilia (Gilia tricolor)

Tricolor gilia (Gilia tricolor) is an annual with a long blooming period. Starting in spring, each plant produces hundreds of half-inch white flowers with blue or lavender edges.  Though small, these flowers look very pretty when massed. They grow on upright stems, about 18 inches tall, surrounded by soft, lacy foliage.

This plant is very easy to grow. It takes full sun, low water and tolerates many different types of soil including clay. It can be planted from seed and re-seeds itself the next spring reliably, and is very attractive to native bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Tricolor gilia is also known as bird's-eyes, bird's-eyes gilia. If you sow related but different types of gilia together they will hybridize. From Calscape.

Grower: Larner Seeds

Other Names Used: Bird's eyes, Tricolor gilia

Family: Polemoniaceae

Life Cycle: Annual

Plant Type: Herb

Sun Exposure: Full

Bloom Period: Spring, Summer (April to August)

Bloom Color(s): Blue, Lavender, White

Plant Height: 4-14 inches tall

Plant Width: 6 inches wide

California Regions:

• San Francisco Bay Area
  
• Central Valley
• Sierra Foothills
  
• Central California Coast
  
• Southern California Inland

Ecological Benefits:

• Drought Tolerant
  
• Attracts pollinators, bats
  

Ecological Functions:

• Grows in Containers
• Groundcover

Habitat Type:

• Coastal Grassland
• Valley Grassland
• Northern Coastal Scrub
• Oak Woodland 
  

Human Uses/Cautions: none

Skill Level: Beginner

Seed Pretreatment: None