Echium plantagineum seed
LATIN NAME: ECHIUM PLANTAGINEUM
COMMON NAME: Purple Viper”s-bugloss
On the dry, sunny slopes and the roadsides of the Mediterranean, the purple viper”s-bugloss grows as a robust, upright, biennial or short-lived perennial herb with the rough, lance-shaped, basal leaves and the tall, branching spikes of the small, funnel-shaped, purple-blue flowers that open from the pink buds in the summer, the small, rough nutlets following. The plant steadily develops a rounded crown, often reaching 5-10 metres. Choose full sun and deep, fertile ground for this plant.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The purple viper”s-bugloss appears in the studies of the borage tribe of the Mediterranean, its purple-blue spikes and its rough leaves keeping it in view in the work on the bee plants of the dry slopes and the drought-tolerant flowers of the region. The research looks at the way the pink buds open to the purple-blue flowers, the rough nutlets ripen and scatter, and the seed biology of the hard, rough seeds.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
In the dry border and the wild garden, the purple viper”s-bugloss lifts the tall, purple-blue spikes above the rough leaves and feeds the bees with its abundant nectar through the summer. The showy, drought-tolerant plant has long been a favourite of the dry garden, and the plant makes the fine bee plant, the dry-border flower and the plant of the hot, sunny garden. It is a plant for the open, sunny, deep and free-draining place.
To grow the Purple Viper”s-bugloss from seed, give the seeds a cold, moist spell, then press them into gritty soil.
Give the seeds a cold, moist spell, then press them into gritty soil, and keep the young buglosses in the open, sunny spot. The purple spikes open with the summer.
LATIN NAME: Echium plantagineum
COMMON NAME: Purple Vipers-bugloss, Patersons Curse, Salvation Jane
Purple vipers-bugloss is a flower of many names, and its bright, rising spikes of bloom are a striking sight in late spring. The plant grows into a rosette of leaves, up to a metre tall. It is native to Europe and the Mediterranean, and it has travelled widely, becoming famous in Australia, where it has both cursed and blessed the land, depending on who is telling the story.
Purple vipers-bugloss belongs to the borage family, Boraginaceae, and it is native to western and southern Europe, northern Africa and southwestern Asia. It has been introduced to Australia, South Africa and the United States, and it is an important early-season source of nectar for bees. Its common names tell its whole story, from the harmless-sounding salvation jane to the rueful patersons curse, a reminder of how the same plant can be a blessing to beekeepers and a headache to farmers all at once.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Purple vipers-bugloss has a genuine and interesting place in both agricultural and ecological research. It is one of the most important early-season nectar plants for honey bees, and beekeepers value it greatly, so it has been studied in apiculture for its nectar production and its value to honey production, especially in Australia, where it supports the bee industry. The plant has also been studied in ecology and agriculture as an introduced and sometimes invasive species, and researchers have examined its spread, its management and its effects on pastureland, where it can be toxic to livestock in quantity. The plant has also been studied for its chemistry, since it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which have been examined in research on their effects. For a plant of such divided reputation, purple vipers-bugloss has a steady and fascinating record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, purple vipers-bugloss is a generous flower for bees. Its bright purple spikes feed honey bees and other pollinators in early spring, when little else is in flower, and it is a lifesaver for the bee industry, while its seeds feed small birds.
Its economic value lies mainly in its value to bees. It is one of the most important early-season nectar plants for honey bees, supporting the honey industry in Australia and beyond, and it is also grown as a garden plant for its striking bloom and its value to pollinators. For a grower, purple vipers-bugloss is an easy and rewarding plant, and for a gardener it brings tall spikes of purple bloom and a flower that the bees will thank you for. The seeds are easy — scatter them in a sunny spot in spring, barely cover them, keep them lightly watered, and theyll sprout within a couple of weeks, growing on quickly into tall flowering spikes by late spring.
Description: NAME: Vipers Bugloss SCIENTIFIC NAME: Echium Plantagineum PLANT SEEDS: When soil temp warms to 60 – 70F BLOOM TIME: Late Spring – Summer HARDINESS ZONE: 3 – 8 & Reseeds PLANT HEIGHT: 16″ PLANT SPACING: 12″ LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average OTHER: Vipers Bugloss has lovely trumpet shaped flowers that attract birds, bees, and especially butterflies. It is very high in nectar, & produces for months, making it a favorite of honey bees & bumble bees who like to roll around in the large flowers. It is also a favorite of the fascinating hummingbird moth! It will grow in any soil and can tolerate some drought.