Anchusa azurea

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Boraginales

Familia: Boraginaceae
Subfamilia: Boraginoideae
Tribus: Boragineae
Genus: Anchusa
Species: Anchusa azurea
Name

Anchusa azurea P.Mill.
Synonyms

Anchusa italica Retz.

References

Gard. dict. ed. 8: Anchusa no. 9. 1768
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Anchusa azurea in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 08-Apr-12.

Vernacular names
English: Italian bugloss
suomi: Italianrasti, sinirasti
français: Buglosse d'Italie
Türkçe: Büyük sığırdili

Anchusa azurea is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, known by the common names garden anchusa[1] and Italian bugloss (or just "bugloss"). It is a bristly perennial which may reach 1.5 meters tall and 60 centimeters wide.[2] It has straight lance-shaped leaves and petite tubular flowers about 15 millimeters across with five bright violet-blue.[3] These flowers, which typically appear May-July, are edible and attract bees.[4] This species is native to Europe and western Asia and eastern Maghreb[5] but is well-known elsewhere as a noxious weed. In Crete it is called agoglossos (Greek: αγόγλωσσος) and the locals eat the tender stems boiled, steamed or fried.

The genus name Anchusa comes from the Greek 'ankousa', which is the name of a root pigment once used for cosmetic purposes.[6]

Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use, of which 'Loddon Royalist' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[7] Other cultivars include 'Dropmore', 'Feltham Pride', 'Little John', and 'Opal'.[8]

In the US, it's suitable for hardiness zones 3–8. It grows best in full sun with good drainage, and is drought tolerant once established.[8] It may be susceptible to leaf-miner and powdery mildew.[9] Anchusa azurea Closeup.JPG

References

BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
"Anchusa azurea 'Loddon Royalist'". BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
"Buy Anchusa azurea Loddon Royalist AGM | Perennials". Burford Garden Company. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
"Anchusa azurea 'Loddon Royalist'". Sarah Raven. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
The Euro+Med PlantBase - the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity.Details for:Anchusa azurea. Accessed on 10 March 2012.
"How to Grow Anchusa (Anchusa Azurea, Dropmore Flower, Italian Bugloss)". Gardening Channel. 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=124
"Anchusa azurea (Italian Bugloss)". Gardenia.net. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
"Anchusa (Bugloss)". www.seasonalgardening.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-04-28.

Plants of Cyprus