Intro: Slender, erect annual/biennial of a wide variety of natural and disturbed, dryish habitats, especially weedy in disturbed sites such as roadsides and fields but also common and apparently native in thin soil of rock outcrops.

Stems: Stems 1-several, smooth; basal offshoots prostrate to trailing and forming overwintering rosettes.

Leaves: Basal leaves linear to oblong, to 1/3 in. long; stem leaves alternate, linear, to 1 1/4 in. long, smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in a narrow raceme; blue to purple; about 1/2 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; tubular, with a slender spur and opening to 2 lips, the upper lip 2-lobed and the larger lower lip 3-lobed; the white throat has 2 ridges.

Fruits: Fruit an oval capsule.

Comments: The similar N. floridanus has a zigzag raceme and N. texanus has slightly larger flowers.

Height: 6-28 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Slender, erect annual/biennial of a wide variety of natural and disturbed, dryish habitats, especially weedy in disturbed sites such as roadsides and fields but also common and apparently native in thin soil of rock outcrops.

stems: Stems 1-several, smooth; basal offshoots prostrate to trailing and forming overwintering rosettes.

leaves: Basal leaves linear to oblong, to 1/3 in. long; stem leaves alternate, linear, to 1 1/4 in. long, smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in a narrow raceme; blue to purple; about 1/2 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; tubular, with a slender spur and opening to 2 lips, the upper lip 2-lobed and the larger lower lip 3-lobed; the white throat has 2 ridges.

fruits: Fruit an oval capsule.

comments: The similar N. floridanus has a zigzag raceme and N. texanus has slightly larger flowers.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern North America & western U.S.