Clinging Cubeflower

This short flower grows up to 5 inches (13 cm) tall. Its moss green stem is very thin and straight with a curved tip, and the miniature, red leaves are long, tapering with wavy edges. Many leaves grow at the base of the stem, and more leaves alternate on the stem from about halfway up, up to the flower head.

4 to 6 medium-sized flowers grow on alternate sides up the length of the stem. The flowers are 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide, with petals that are cyan at the sides and deep blue at the center. The flower head is shaped like a cube made up of 4 raised, round-tipped petals. They detach easily.

It has a delicate scent that smells like old shoes, and it has lots of pollen, but it does not cause any allergic reactions. It is pollinated by the wind, but is also visited by one species of insect in particular.