Bird's Eyes (Gilia tricolor) - Native California Wildflower Seeds

Outdoor Planting

Site & Soil

• Choose a full sun location
  (6+ hours sunlight). It tolerates some light shade, but performs best in
  sun.
• Soil should be well-drained,
  light to moderately fertile. It will tolerate clay but prefers loam, sand
  or rocky soil
• Amend heavy soil only lightly
  (e.g., add some sand or fine gravel) to improve drainage rather than rich
  compost. Overly rich soils may reduce its wildflower character

Sowing Seed Directly

• Best to direct-sow outdoors
  rather than transplanting due to delicate root systems.
• Scatter the seeds on the soil
  surface and press them in lightly, but do not cover them deeply.
  The seeds need light to germinate.
• In mild-winter zones, sow in autumn
  so natural rains help germination; otherwise, sow in early spring
  as soon as the soil is workable.

Spacing & Growth

• Mature plants grow about 10-45
  cm tall (4-18” approximately) and spread ~20-25 cm (8-10”) roughly.
• For a planting bed, allow about 20-30
  cm (8-12 inches) between plants to allow air circulation and prevent
  sprawl.

Watering & Maintenance

• After seed germination and
  seedling establishment, the plants are drought-tolerant. Water
  regularly early, then reduce.
• Avoid overwatering or allowing
  soil to become waterlogged—this species is adapted to dry, open sites.
• Dead-heading (removing spent
  flowers) can extend blooming and reduce unwanted self-seeding if that is a
  concern.
• At end of season, cut back stems
  if you don’t want self-seeding; if self-seeding is desired, leave seed
  heads. w

Uses & Placement

• Works well in rock gardens,
  wildflower meadows, informal borders, or
• Mix with other natives like
  Eschscholzia californica (California poppy), Clarkia amoena, or Gaillardia
  pulchella to create vibrant color and pollinator habitat.

Indoor/Container Seed Starting

If you want to begin seeds indoors (for early germination or controlled
starts), here’s how:

When to Start

• Start about 4–6 weeks before
  the last expected frost indoors.
• Alternatively, cold-stratify
  seeds for ~2 weeks then sow—some sources indicate stratification improves
  germination.

Growing Medium & Sowing

• Use a well-draining potting
  mix, e.g., mix 50% garden soil, 30% sand, 20% compost—or similar light
  texture.
• Sow seeds by pressing lightly
  on the surface of the soil; do not bury them deeply because
  they need light to germinate.
• Keep the soil evenly moist (not
  wet) and provide bright light and good air circulation.
  Temperatures around 70 °F (21 °C) are appropriate.

Transplanting Outdoors

• Once seedlings have grown and all
  danger of frost has passed, harden off (acclimate) by gradually exposing
  them to outdoor conditions for a week.
• Transplant into your prepared
  outdoor bed or container, spacing as mentioned above. Because Gilia
  tricolor doesn’t like rich soils or heavy transplanting stress, consider
  planting into site with minimal disturbance.

Container Growing

• If grown in containers: choose
  shallow wide containers (since the plant is low lying) with good drainage;
  use a light well-draining mix.
• Ensure full sun exposure and
  allow soil to dry slightly between waterings.
• Because the plant is naturally an
  open-site wildflower, avoid over-fertilization or overly rich mixes—this
  can lead to weak stems or floppy habit.

Troubleshooting & Special Notes

• Germination can take 14–21
  days under optimal conditions.
• Avoid heavy soils or constant
  moisture—they can lead to leggy growth or root issues.
• Self-seeding: If you like
  volunteers the next year, allow some seed heads to drop. If you do not
  want reseeding, dead-head before seeds mature.
• Because it is low‐maintenance and
  native, it’s an excellent candidate for education kits (like your youth
  planting kit) and pollinator gardens.