Echium vulgare – description, flowering period and general distribution in British Columbia. young plant

Echium vulgare – description, flowering period and general distribution in British Columbia. covered with prickly setae with an admixture of small whitish-gray villi

Echium vulgare – description, flowering period and general distribution in British Columbia. lonely bush

Echium vulgare – description, flowering period and general distribution in British Columbia. sky blue flowers

Echium vulgare – description, flowering period and general distribution in British Columbia. Flowering plant - a very valuable honey plant

Scientific name:

Echium vulgare

Common name(s):

Viper's bugloss, Blueweed, Blue thistle.

Life form:

Forb, Herb.

Flowering time:

41 days.

Flowering period

in British Columbia for this plant is: June ↔ August.

NECTAR PRODUCTION:

300–1,000 pounds honey/acre

SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:

Major

General distribution:

Echium vulgare — known as viper's bugloss and blueweed — is a species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae. It is native to most of Europe, and western and central Asia and it occurs as an introduced species in North America.

Map of distribution and habitat in Canada

This plant is present in at least 52 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

It is a biennial or monocarpic perennial plant growing to 30–80 cm tall, with rough, hairy, oblanceolate leaves. The flowers start pink and turn vivid blue and are 15–20 mm in a branched spike, with all the stamens protruding. The pollen is blue but the filaments of the stamens remain red, contrasting against the blue flowers.

Seasonal development:

It flowers between June and August.

Average rating 4.8/5 based on 19 reviews.

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List of honey plants that may be blooming now in British Columbia

See the entire list

Salix arbusculoides (aka: Littletree willow)

Salix bebbiana (aka: Bebb willow, Beak willow, Beaked willow, Long-beaked willow, Diamond willow, Chaton, Petit Minou, Smooth Bebb willow)

Salix geyeriana (aka: Geyer willow, Silver willow)

Rhus glabra (aka: Smooth sumac, Common sumac, Rocky Mountain sumac, Red sumac, Western sumac, White sumac)

Salix richardsonii (aka: Richardson's willow, Woolly willow)

Allium schoenoprasum (aka: Chives)

Brassica napus (aka: Rapeseed)

Sinapis arvensis (aka: Charlock mustard, California rape, Charlock, Corn mustard, Canola, Kaber mustard, Rapeseed mustard)

Calendula officinalis (aka: Marigold, Calendula, Pot marigold, English marigold)

Rubus armeniacus (aka: Himalayan blackberry, Rubus discolor, Rubus procerus)

Brassica rapa (aka: Field mustard, Common mustard, Wild mustard, Wild turnip, Forage turnip, Wild rutabaga, Birdsrape mustard, Rape mustard)

Echium vulgare (aka: Viper's bugloss, Blueweed, Blue thistle)

Chamaenerion angustifolium (aka: Fireweed, Great willowherb, Rosebay willowherb, Saint Anthony's Laurel, French-willow)

Agastache foeniculum (aka: Giant hyssop, Blue giant hyssop, Anise hyssop, Fragrant giant hyssop, Lavender giant hyssop)

Borago officinalis (aka: Borage, Starflower, Common borage, Cool-tankard, Tailwort)

Cirsium arvense (aka: Creeping Thistle, Canada thistle, Field thistle, California thistle, Lettuce from hell thistle, Corn thistle, Cursed thistle, Green thistle, Hard thistle, Perennial thistle, Prickly thistle, Small-flowered thistle, Way thistle, Stinger-needles)

Calluna vulgaris (aka: Heather, Scotch heather, Common heather, Ling, Simply heather)

Asteraceae (aka: Aster, Daisy, Composite)