Wildflower Watch: The bird’s-eyes gilia may be California’s prettiest native

I can’t think of a prettier California native wildflower than this one! Called bird’s eyes or bird’s-eyes gilia, the Gilia tricolor displays bold colors — pale blue or violet flowers with baby blue stamens, contrasted with a yellow throat decorated with purple spots.

It is an annual herb with a long blooming season and is cultivated all over the world, endemic to California. You’ll see it in Marin as well as many other counties. The plant grows on slopes, Sierra foothills, woodlands and valley grassland and attracts butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

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