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Echium vulgare (any variety) (Viper's bugloss (any variety))

Other names: Viper's herb (any variety), North American blueweed (any variety), Snake flower (any variety), Viper's grass (any variety), Blueweed (any variety), Cat's tail (any variety), Adderwort , Blue devil (any variety), Blue thistle (any variety)

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Add to plant list
Variety or Cultivar
If you don't know the variety name of your Echium vulgare (Viper's bugloss), you can add this plant to your lists to get care advice. E. vulgare (any variety) are upright, bristly biennials with hairy, linear to narrowly lance-shaped, toothed, grey-green leaves and short, dense cymes or spikes of broadly bell-shaped, violet-blue, sometimes pink or white flowers in early summer.
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Season of interest

Flower

Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Flower

Foliage

Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Foliage
Height and spread

Height and spread

Size Max height Max spread To maturity
0.9 m 0.3 m 1-2 years
2 ft 0 ft 1-2 years

Where to grow

Soil type
  • Chalky
  • Loamy
  • Sandy
Soil drainage
  • Well-drained
Soil pH
  • Acid
  • Alkaline
  • Neutral
Sunlight
  • Full Sun
Aspect
  • East
  • West
  • South
  • North
Exposure
  • Sheltered

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Additional plant details

Cultivation

Plant in moderately fertile, well-drained soil in sun.

Suggested uses

Coastal, Beds and borders, Cottage/Informal, Wildflower, Bees (attract & feed bees)

UK hardiness

H7

USDA zones

Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8

Sunset zone

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

WUCOLS

North-Central Coastal = Unknown
Central Valley = Unknown
South Coastal = Unknown
South Inland = Unknown
High and Intermediate Desert = Unknown
Low Desert = Unknown

Foliage

Deciduous

Habit

Upright, Bushy

Native to

Europe

Drought tolerant

No

Flood tolerant

No

Toxicity

Severe discomfort may result if any part of the plant is ingested. Foliage may cause skin irritation.

Plant care

Pruning

Deadhead to prolong flowering.

Propagation methods

Seed

Propagation

Sow seed at 13-16C in late summer.

Pests

Glasshouse whitefly

Slugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free.

Deadhead to encourage more flowers (optional)

Protect from cold drying winds (in cold areas)

Plant container grown plants in moderately fertile, well-drained soil

Plant container grown plants in a sunny postion

Sow seed in containers with heat (spring)

Take semi-ripe cuttings

Other plants

Plants in this Genus (17)

Echium

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Echium vulgare (any variety)
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Echium vulgare (any variety) Viper's bugloss (any variety)
Echium russicum
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Echium russicum Red-flowered viper's bugloss
Echium candicans
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Echium candicans Pride of Madeira
Echium wildpretii
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Echium wildpretii Tower of Jewels
Echium plantagineum 'Little Bells'
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Echium plantagineum 'Little Bells' Viper's bugloss 'Little Bells'
Echium pininana
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Echium pininana Giant viper's bugloss
Echium vulgare
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Echium vulgare Viper's bugloss
Echium webbii
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Echium webbii Blue bugloss
Echium vulgare 'Blue Bedder'
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Echium vulgare 'Blue Bedder' Viper's bugloss 'Blue Bedder'
Echium 'Blue Steeple'
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Echium 'Blue Steeple' Giant viper's bugloss 'Blue Steeple'
Echium 'Pink Fountain'
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Echium 'Pink Fountain' Viper's bugloss 'Pink Fountain'
Echium amoenum
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Echium amoenum Red feathers
Echium pininana 'Snow Tower'
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Echium pininana 'Snow Tower' Giant viper's bugloss 'Snow Tower'
Echium gentianoides 'Tajinaste'
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Echium gentianoides 'Tajinaste' Gentian bugloss 'Tajinaste'
Echium simplex
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Echium simplex Pride of Tenerife
Echium decaisnei
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Echium decaisnei White bugloss
Echium virescens
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Echium virescens Green viper's bugloss
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Companion plants (9)

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Fritillaria 'Early Dream'
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Fritillaria 'Early Dream' Crown imperial 'Early Dream'
Fritillaria raddeana
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Fritillaria raddeana Turkmen fritillary
Fritillaria imperialis 'Prolifera'
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Fritillaria imperialis 'Prolifera' Crown imperial 'Prolifera'
Fritillaria imperialis 'Chopin' (Rascal Series)
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Fritillaria imperialis 'Chopin' (Rascal Series) Crown imperial 'Chopin'
Fritillaria imperialis 'Brahms' (Rascal Series)
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Fritillaria imperialis 'Brahms' (Rascal Series) Crown imperial 'Brahms'
Fritillaria imperialis 'Striped Beauty'
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Fritillaria imperialis 'Striped Beauty' Crown imperial 'Striped Beauty'
Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra'
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Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra' Crown imperial 'Rubra'
Fritillaria 'Rubra Major'
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Fritillaria 'Rubra Major' Crown imperial 'Rubra Major'
Fritillaria imperialis
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Fritillaria imperialis Crown imperial
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