Echium vulgare, viper’s bugloss
Family: Boraginaceae
Description:
Typically grown for beautiful flowers, this species has pink buds that turn azure blue the next day. Filaments remain reddish and offer contrast to the blue petals. Stems are bristly with a caterpillar-like appearance. Flowers emerge in May or June and persist through September. Bees love this long blooming species.
Growing conditions:
This species grows best in dry soils with full sun and can tolerate poor soils.
Suitable uses:
This species is nitrogen fixing, and can be used for bioremediation or within industrial sites. It is known to appear in waste sites, and along railways or roadsides. In dryer regions, this species can be weedy.
CC Image courtesy of Tony Court on Flickr
CC Image courtesy of lezumbalaberenjena on Flickr