Azure bluets are cheerful natives of central and eastern North America. The name “Quaker ladies” may be
a reference to their prim bonnet-like flowers. They prefer moist meadows, lawns, fields, and roadsides,
and other disturbed habitats; as well as cliffs, ledges, and freshwater shores.
Plants: Bluets are virtually invisble when not flowering,
at less than 4″ (10 cm) in height, but they make a big impact when they are, appearing in
dense, attractive colonies.
Leaves: Leaves at the base of the flowers are relatively
large, and oblanceolate to spatulate; while those on the stem are much smaller
and similarly shaped, or sometimes linear.
Flowers: You would think bluets would be blue, and usually
they are pale or darker blue-violet in color, but sometimes they are so pale they are almost white. They are about ¼″ (6.3 mm)
in diameter, and appear from April to early July.
Fruits: Flattened fruits are 1/16-⅛″ (3-4 mm) wide, and much
broader than long. Seeds are globular.
4/21/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm)
The flowers are diminutive, at less than 1/4" across, but the leaves, usually hidden, are much smaller. · 5/15/2016 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Massachusetts
5/14/2023 · Cathance River Trails, Topsham, Maine
4/21/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)