Viper's bugloss

Echium vulgare

Layer 4 · Herbaceous
Attracts pollinators

Status by region

No restrictions recorded in the lists we checked.

Checked against the European Union list (Regulation 1143/2014) · Portugal's national invasive species list (Decreto-Lei 92/2019).

Information based on the cited sources, not legal advice — always confirm your local rules.

About

Biennial plant with blue flowers, one of the most melliferous in European flora, common in dry and stony ground. Its prolonged flowering provides abundant nectar and pollen to bees and other pollinators. In the food forest it occupies the herbaceous layer as a key resource for beneficial insects in poor soils.

It can be planted now — September is one of the best months.

See which trees Viper's bugloss grows well with

These trees share this species' soil and climate — the pairing is inferred from conditions, not from a guild we have already seen.

No account needed.

Needs

Water: Low
Light: Full sun
Size: Biennial herb up to 0.8 m
Mature diameter: 0.4 m
Soils: Sandy, Loam, Limestone
Climates: Hot, dry Mediterranean, Atlantic coast, Inland / Continental, Mountain / cold

Calendar

January
February
March — Planting
April — Planting
May — Harvest
June — Harvest
July — Harvest
August — Harvest
September — Planting
October — Planting
November
December

Harvest
Planting

Medicinal use: The flowers and leaves are traditionally used in infusions for their diuretic and expectorant properties, although consumption requires caution due to the presence of alkaloids.

Where to buy

Central trees worth considering

May work well together — same soil and climate, complementary layers. We have not seen this combination in a generated guild yet.

May grow well with

Suggestions worked out from growing conditions — same soil and climate, complementary layers and functions. These are not observed guilds; treat them as a starting point to try on your own land.