Viper's Bugloss - Echium vulgare
20 Seeds
Sow March-May and August-Sept
Hardy biennial
Will tolerate any soil and prefers a sunny position.
Height 2-4ft (60-120cm).
Sow outside in spring or autumn and lightly cover with soil.
It has a long taproot and is self-seeding and extremely invasive. The leaves are mid-green and bristly. The bright blue/pink cucumber tasting flowers appear in the second year from mid-summer until early autumn. Attractive to bees.
Viper's Bugloss
Also known as Bugles, Wild Borage, Snake Flower, Blue Devil, Blueweed, Viper's Grass and Snake Flower.
From the family Boraginaceae.
Originally from the Mediterranean region it is now widespread throughout the northern hemisphere. It is regarded as a weed in some parts of America and some farmers consider it a plague. The common name developed from the medival Doctrine of Signatures, which ordained that a plant's use should be inferred from its appearance. It was noticed that the brown stem looked rather like a snakeskin and that the seed is shaped like a viper's head. So, in their wisdom they prescribed it for viper bites, which for once proved right; it did have some success in the treatment of the spotted viper's bite.