Leaf
Yoan Martin, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 2.0
Common bugloss
Anchusa officinalis L.
Also known as: Common alkanet, Alkanet
Family: Boraginaceae
30 to 80 cm tall
Banks, wasteland, gardens, ordinary soils
Flowering: May – September
Full sun
Hardy to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its flowers, arranged in cymes that gradually uncoil like a crozier, are typical of the borage family (Boraginaceae).
🍃 Leaves
Elongated, rough, hairy, grey-green
🌸 Flowers
Small blue-violet flowers in coiled cymes
🍎 Fruits
Small dry achenes
🪵 Bark
Upright clump, hairy stems
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, western Asia; fairly common on wasteland, banks and path edges in France, especially in the south.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Tubular blue-violet flowers rich in nectar, very attractive to bees and bumblebees.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Naturalistic borders, wildflower meadows; little grown in the conventional ornamental garden.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids like other Boraginaceae, potentially toxic to the liver if consumed repeatedly or in large amounts.
🌿 Other Boraginaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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