Native Habitat:
Open grasslands, rocky slopes, and dry meadows in western North America, including the Willamette Valley. Prefers well-drained, sandy or rocky soils.
 
Bloom Time:
June – August
 
Growth Habit & Mature Size:
Perennial herb, 1–2 feet tall, with basal, spiny, blue-green leaves and erect stems topped with clusters of small blue to bluish-purple flowers. Forms clumps over time.
 
Light & Soil Requirements:
Full sun; thrives in well-drained soils, including sandy, rocky, or loamy substrates. Highly drought-tolerant once established.
 
Willamette Valley Native Companion Plants:
Festuca roemeri, Camassia quamash, Achillea millefolium, Eriophyllum lanatum, Sidalcea campestris.
 
Urban Garden Function:
Adds bold texture, architectural form, and seasonal color to urban meadows, rock gardens, and naturalized landscapes. Ideal for pollinator gardens, low-maintenance borders, and layered native plantings. Its spiny foliage and blue flowers provide visual contrast and ecological function.
 
Wildlife Supported:
Flowers attract native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Dense clumps offer shelter for ground-dwelling insects and small arthropods.
 
Historical Use:
Used by Indigenous peoples for minor medicinal purposes; valued ornamentally for naturalized, habitat-focused plantings.