SafePlants

Omphalodes verna: Creeping Navelwort (Blue-Eyed Mary)

Omphalodes verna, commonly known as creeping navelwort or blue-eyed Mary, is a charming herbaceous perennial plant appreciated for its delicate blue flowers and ground-covering habit.

Considerations for Pets

• This plant spreads by means of runners, creating a dense leaf carpet, and is known to grow in patches, potentially attracting the attention of pets who may ingest it.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Omphalodes verna
• Common Names: creeping navelwort, blue-eyed Mary
• The text also mentions other species with the common name "Blue-Eyed Mary," including those in the genus Collinsia.
• One example listed in the text includes Collinsia verna (Spring blue eyed mary).

Distribution and Habitat

• Omphalodes verna is found in southern Europe.
• Other species of "Blue-Eyed Mary" like Collinsia parviflora are native to North America, particularly in woodlands of the western U.S.
• They are found West of the Cascade Mountains.
• The species Collinsia torreyi is native to California.

Morphological Characteristics

• Omphalodes verna is a rhizomatous perennial that spreads by runners.
• The flowers are small, typically bright blue with white centers, measuring approximately 1-1.5 cm across.
• The flowers of Collinsia verna are described as blue and white, bilaterally symmetrical, and borne on slender stalks. The corolla is about 0.3 inches (0.8 cm) wide.
• Some varieties have purple-spotted leaves due to a specific gene.
• The leaves are heart-shaped and can form a dense carpet.

Ecological Role

• Collinsia verna can be so abundant in woodlands that it forms a "blue carpet" on the forest floor.

Genetic Information

• Some populations of blue-eyed Mary in southern British Columbia are polymorphic for a gene that causes purple-spotted leaves.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• The text suggests Omphalodes verna attracts the attention of pets due to its growth habit.