Baby Blue Eyes is an erect, flowering annual in the borage family with a spreading habit that grows best in cool summer climates where nighttime temperatures consistently dip below 65 degrees F. The stems are fleshy and grow to a height of 8 to 12 inches. The green leaves are small and the saucer-shaped bright blue flowers measure 1 1/2 inches across with a light blue center stained with white or yellow and darker spots on the petals. The genus name comes from the Greek nemos meaning wooded pasture or glade and phileo meaning to love in reference to the habitat of some species. The species name honors Archibald Menzies a Scottish botanist, who accompanied George Vancouver aboard HMS Discovery in the early exploration of the Pacific Northwest. Baby Blue Eyes does best in moist, well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. It will tolerate most soil types, but prefers acidic, organically rich soil. In hot summer climates with cold winters, sow seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last spring frost date for bloom from spring until the heat of summer arrives. In hot climates with mild winters (USDA Zones 8-10), sow seed in late summer and late fall for winter to spring bloom. Plants will self-seed in the garden in optimum conditions. Provide regular watering to promote flowering in dry summers. This plant does tolerate light foot traffic. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Generally disease free. Aphids may be a problem. Plants decline in hot and humid weather.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Wet
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaf feel
Rough
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Stems are covered in pinnately lobed gray-green leaves (to 2 inches long).
Flower color
Blue; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Bright blue, five-petaled, bowl-shaped flowers with white centers. These occur in clusters at branch tips in late spring and early summer. Flowers are upward facing, 5-lobed, and abundant in cool weather.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Six inch tall, slender, procumbent, succulent stems.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
California, Nevada, Oregon and Mexico
Distribution
Alaska, France, Germany, Spain, England, Norway, Sweden
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Nemophila support the following specialized bee: Hoplitis (Robertsonella) simplex.