*Echium vulgare Linnaeus. Common name: Viper's-bugloss, Blueweed. Phenology: Jun-Sep. Habitat: Roadsides, dry pastures, disturbed areas. Distribution: Native of Mediterranean Europe. Reported for Cook County, GA (Carter, Baker, & Morris 2009). Reported for Jackson County, AL by Barger et al. (2023).
Origin/Endemic status: Mediterranean Europe and Africa
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, GrPl, Il, Mi, NcTx, NE, Pa, RAB, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WV; = Echium vulgare L. var. vulgare — F, G; < Echium vulgare L. — K4, NY, Al-Shehbaz (1991); Echium vulgare L. Basionym: Echium vulgare L. 1753
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Heliophily ⓘ: 9
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© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
© Jim Fowler | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, bristly biennial of roadsides, dry pastures and disturbed areas. Native of Mediterranean Europe but now widespread in North America.
Stems: Stem unbranched and covered with stiff, spreading hairs.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile, oblong to lance-shaped, 3/4-5 1/2 in. long (reduced in size upward), hairy.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in bristly, coiled racemes that branch off the stem; bright blue to blue-violet (pink in bud); ½ in. long; bilaterally symmetric and tubular to funnel-shaped, with 5 rounded lobes and 4 red stamens.
Fruits: Fruit an oval-oblong nutlet.
Comments: Abundant bristles make this plant painful to touch.
Height: 12-32 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, bristly biennial of roadsides, dry pastures and disturbed areas. Native of Mediterranean Europe but now widespread in North America.
stems: Stem unbranched and covered with stiff, spreading hairs.
leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile, oblong to lance-shaped, 3/4-5 1/2 in. long (reduced in size upward), hairy.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in bristly, coiled racemes that branch off the stem; bright blue to blue-violet (pink in bud); ½ in. long; bilaterally symmetric and tubular to funnel-shaped, with 5 rounded lobes and 4 red stamens.
fruits: Fruit an oval-oblong nutlet.
comments: Abundant bristles make this plant painful to touch.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
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