Sisyrinchium idahoense / Idaho blue-eyed grass

Adjectives: fen, native, wet meadows

Blue-eyed grass has a small blue flower that seems to be a surprise every time I find it. It appears to have six petals, but in fact, three of them are sepals even though they look like petals (i.e. also blue-ish). There is only one flower per plant and it sits at the top of a naked (i.e. leafless) stem. The grass-like (or iris-like) leaves are barely visible, especially in a crowd, but the plant is perennial, so they keep coming back each year.

The photos here were taken at Woods Creek Fen and the plant prefers such wetlands. In these photos, the other dominant plant is the scouring rush (Equisetum spp.)

According to the USDA Plants database, this species is useful in the restoration of wetlands or riparian zones. It attracts pollinators and beneficial insects and has a clumpy root structure that helps stabilize soils. It can tolerate full sun or shade, and has no known pests or diseases. It is also quite versatile as a garden plant, if you are that sort of person.