- Botanical name: Echium vulgare
- Common name: Viper's bugloss
- Family: Boraginaceae
- Plant Type: Biennial
Purple
Green
- Key features:
- Attractive to wildlife
- Flowers
Echium vulgare (Viper’s bugloss) is a biennial wildflower, often found in grassy and disturbed situations. It’s extremely attractive to pollinators, especially bees. It bears rosettes of slender, bristly foliage, from which upright leafy stems emerge in early summer bearing spikes of violet blue or purple, bell-shaped flowers. It’s perfect for growing in a wildlife garden or mini-meadow, but is also suitable for growing at the front of a sunny border.
For best results grow Echium vulgare in well-drained soil in full sun. Avoid cutting stems back after flowering, as these will develop seeds, which will self-sow freely around the garden.
How to grow Echium vulgare
-
Plant size
75cm height
50cm spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Front, middle
- Sun exposure: Dappled shade, full sun
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Chalky / alkaline / clay / heavy / moist / well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | ||||||||||||
| Sow |
J
Do not Sow in January |
F
Do not Sow in February |
M
Do Sow in March |
A
Do Sow in April |
M
Do not Sow in May |
J
Do not Sow in June |
J
Do not Sow in July |
A
Do not Sow in August |
S
Do not Sow in September |
O
Do not Sow in October |
N
Do not Sow in November |
D
Do not Sow in December |
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do not Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does not flower in April |
M
Plant does not flower in May |
J
Plant does flower in June |
J
Plant does flower in July |
A
Plant does flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
Echium vulgare and wildlife
Echium vulgare is known for attracting bees, beneficial insects, butterflies/moths and other pollinators. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers.
Attractive to Bees
Attractive to Beneficial insects
Does not attract Birds
Attractive to Butterflies/Moths
Attractive to Other pollinators
Is Echium vulgare poisonous?
Echium vulgare can be toxic.
Toxic to Horses
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
Plants that go well with Echium vulgare
