Our native Oxytropis splendens is certainly well-named! The dense covering of long silky hairs makes the entire plant look as though it's been dipped in silver. The scapes are delightfully furry (forgive my uncharacteristic gushing but they are as cute as baby animals!) and then as the flowers emerge, they are punctuated by the perfect compliment of bright pink-purple petals that dry to blue. It is even readily recognizable - I can't say that about all the oxytropis here - with the distinctive whorled leaflets! Bonus!
This plant turns some of the roadcut slopes in the foothills to fuchsia in season. Unfortunately, I don't have any good pix from the wild, so these from the garden (where it is perfectly well-behaved) will have to do for now.
