The genus Sisyrinchium is made up of 90 or so species of annuals and perennials that are native to North and South America. They are grown for their neat, clumping habit and small but colorful flowers in spring and summer. Flowers appear at the end of often winged stems and may be blue, yellow, mauve, white, or pink. Smaller species are useful in a rock garden, while larger ones are attractive in a herbaceous border. They may also be used in a cool greenhouse or alpine house.