Azure bluet or quaker ladies is a low-growing perennial herb with pale blue, delicate florets less than 1 inch across, forming dainty patches in lawns, meadows, and grassy woodland edges. Each flower is solitary, with a yellow center, borne on slender 3–6 inch stems that rise in a group from a single basal rosette. Blooming from April to July, the flowers attract small bees, butterflies, and other gentle pollinators. The medium green leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along the stem, while spoon-shaped basal leaves form a persistent rosette at the base.

Bluets are native to eastern Canada and the eastern United States, ranging from Maine to Wisconsin, south to Florida and Louisiana, with scattered populations in Oklahoma. They thrive in moist, acidic soils in shady or partly sunny areas, and adapt to a variety of soil types thanks to their fibrous roots and slender rhizomes.

Houstonia caerulea is found in habitats such as lawns, meadows, forest edges, lake and river shores, rocky cliffs, and even disturbed sites. In spite of its very small size and delicate flowers, it is an exceptionally hardy plant, capable of surviving even under adverse conditions.

The Cherokee used an infusion of this plant to treat bedwetting, reflecting its gentle role in traditional medicine. While early European settlers likely admired its delicate blooms, specific cultural uses are less clearly documented.