Echium vulgare

ECHIUM vulgare
Viper's Bugloss

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Type:
Biennial

Height: 1-3' (30-90 cm)

Flowering Time: Summer

Flower Colour: Blue

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Botanical Classification:

Class:
Angiospermae (Angiosperms)

Subclass: Dicotyledonae (Dicotyledons)

Superorder: Asteridae (Daisy Superorder)

Order: Polemoniales (Polemonium Order)

Family: Boraginaceae (Forget-me-Not Family)

Genus: Echium (Bugloss)

Species: vulgare (common)

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Echium vulgare is a coarse hairy plant, varying in size according to its growing conditions. I have seen it reaching over 2' in dry chalky grassland and roadsides, and less than six inches on dry shingle by the sea. It is easily recognisable by its flowers, which vary in colour from pink through purple to bright electric blue, often all at the same time, with protruding stamens.
Echium vulgare is a traditional medicinal herb, used to treat kidney and respiratory diseases, to soothe irritated tissues and to aid in the healing of wounds.
Its common name of Viper's Bugloss refers to its former use to treat snake bites.
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Harvesting and Growing from Seed:

Germination:
Autumn
Outside
(146 days)

Seed Pod There is no seedpod. The seeds are held inside the calyx, and fall out when they are ripe.
Seed The seeds are woody chunks. There are four seeds from each flower.
Seedling The seedleaves are rounded, and the first true leaves are large and rough.

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				Germination: Autumn Outside (146 days)
Seed Pod There is no seedpod. The seeds are held inside the calyx, and fall out when they are ripe. Seed The seeds are woody chunks. There are four seeds from each flower. Seedling The seedleaves are rounded, and the first true leaves are large and rough.