Dutchman's breeches

Meanings

1. A plant of the species Dicentra cucullaria, native to eastern North America and the Columbia River basin.
2. A plant of the species Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formerly Dicentra spectabilis, similar to D. cucullaria, but red or pink.
3. Something proverbially blue, used in phrases relating to a clear blue sky, as in "enough blue sky to make [or patch] a Dutchman's breeches", etc.
4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see Dutchman, -'s, breeches.

Etymology

In the case of the plants, named because their flower petals resemble baggy pants worn by Dutch settlers to North America (compare slops, knickerbockers).