# Blue Dicks (*Dipterostemon capitatus*) Blue Dicks are beautiful flowers that bloom in spring. They have lovely purple-blue petals and grow in clusters, making them look like little stars in the grass! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Wild Hyacinth ![Blue Dicks](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dichelostemma_capitatum_3.jpg&width=800) Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dichelostemma_capitatum_3.jpg) ## Appearance The Blue Dicks is a slender plant with a tall, leafless stalk topped by a dense cluster of vibrant blue-purple, bell-shaped flowers. Its unique arrangement makes it look like a tiny floral firework atop a green stem. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Asparagaceae - **Genus:** Dipterostemon ## Interesting facts - Each flower cluster can boast over 20 tiny, bell-shaped blue or purple blossoms! - Its scientific name recently changed, showing how scientists learn new things! - Its underground corms were a delicious, starchy food for indigenous peoples! - This resilient plant can quickly grow back after wildfires sweep through its home! ## Special abilities - **Underground Storehouse:** Blue Dicks can store food and water in its underground corm, helping it survive droughts and regrow after fires. - **Spring Awakener:** Blue Dicks can bloom early in spring, bringing color when many other plants are just waking up. - **Habitat Hopper:** Blue Dicks can thrive in many different habitats, from sunny meadows to dry hills, showing its adaptability. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-70 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late winter to late spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Yellow-faced Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-faced-bumble-bee) (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — Collects nectar and pollen from the flowers. - **Eats:** [Botta's Pocket Gopher](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bottas-pocket-gopher) (*Thomomys bottae*) — Feeds on the nutritious underground corms. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from its blooms. - **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on the leaves and flowers. ## Traits - [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick flowers, so everyone can enjoy them! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Blue Dicks? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Blue Dicks? 15-70 cm ### How big are the flowers on Blue Dicks? 1-2 cm ### When does Blue Dicks bloom? Late winter to late spring ### Is Blue Dicks edible? Yes ### Is Blue Dicks toxic? None ### What is Blue Dicks's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Blue Dicks pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Rodman Mountains](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rodman-mountains) — California, US · Natural Landmark - [Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chumash-painted-cave-state-historic-park) — California, US · State Park - [Desert Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/desert-botanical-garden) — Arizona, US · Botanical Garden - [Kentucky Camp](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kentucky-camp) — Arizona, US · Historic Site - [Knights Ferry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/knights-ferry) — California, US · Historic Site - [Old Auburn Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-auburn-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see Blue Dicks](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/blue-dicks) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Blue Dicks: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-dicks)