Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Great Plains and eastern Canada.

Habitat: Dry, open areas from prairies to alpine ridges.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies

Glabrous and somewhat glaucous perennial, from a woody crown, the stem 1-6 dm. tall.

Leaves alternate, linear, 1-3 cm. long, 1-nerved, acute to rounded.

Inflorescence a terminal raceme, the pedicels slender, about as long as the flowers; sepals 5, 4-7 mm. long, the margins membranous, entire; petals 5, blue, 10-23 mm. long; stamens 5, united at the base to form a short tube, with tooth-like projections 1 mm. long on the tube alternate with the filaments; styles 5, much longer than the stamens,

Capsule 10-celled.