Family: Boraginaceae
Common name: Pale bugloss, Italian viper’s bugloss, Lady Campbell weed, Pale echium
Pale bugloss is a distinctly beautiful plant that can be easily grown in home gardens in flower beds or pots, their tall flower spikes adding character and charm to your garden. These plants are very commonly found in Europe and North America, growing well in temperate weather conditions.
Plant characteristics
They can grow to height of about 1 meter primarily due to their tall flowering structures. Stem is strong, sturdy and covered with thin, white hairs. Pale bugloss stems are heavily branched, each stem supporting spikes of flowers. Hairs on the stem and leaves are rough and can cause irritation to the skin.
These plants form beautiful rosettes of leaves at the base in the first year of growth, and produces flowers in the second year. The plants, and flower spikes look rough and rugged, but the flowers are pale, delicate, and very pretty.
Leaves are pale green, lance-shaped and long, covered with coarse hairs. In fact, the name bugloss comes from Greek, bous meaning ox and glossa meaning tongue – Ox’s tongue, referring to the rough texture of the leaves. They are 15-30 cm in length arranged in beautiful rosettes at the base of the plant. Basal leaves are much larger that the ones on the flowering spikes.
Pale bugloss flowers are small, but arranged very densely in the tapering spikes. They range in color from pale blue to pink, yellow and white, each about a centimeter in diameter, with prominent dark-colored stamens and style.
These plants flower from late spring to early summer, attracting day and night pollinators like bees, insects, butterflies, and moths. The meter-long flowering structures can add height and character to your flower beds, making them very attractive.
After pollination, the flowers produce small, nut-like fruits that contain a single seed. The fruits do not burst open when they are mature, and are dispersed by wind or small animals.
Gardening Tips
Pale bugloss plants are easy to grow since they are tolerant of drought, poor soil, and weather fluctuations. They prefer full sun or partial shade, and well-drained soil.
Since the root system can go deep into the soil and fetch water, they only need watering during the summer months. So Pale bugloss plants are ideal for xeriscaping, drought-prone gardens, or for forgetful gardeners. Regular deadheading of spent flowers can help the plant bloom well.
Pale bugloss plants have been used in traditional herbal medicine to treat inflammations and skin conditions, but do not self-medicate, since all parts of the plant can cause itching, and skin irritations. They are also toxic to humans, pets, and livestock if consumed in large quantities.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds, which can be sown directly in flower beds in early spring. Once established in the soil, the plant can self-seed and produce numerous small plants around it.
Photographed at: KEW gardens, London
