Bristly, pointed leaves and bright blue, white-centred flowers on a hedge-bank plant that escaped from gardens more than three centuries ago
Green alkanet — Pentaglottis sempervirens.
Nature · Wildflowers & flowers
Green alkanet
Neophyte (introduced over 300 years ago) · flowers spring to summer · shady hedgerows and verges, mainly southern England
Pentaglottis sempervirens — Boraginaceae
Green alkanet is a coarse, bristly perennial of the borage family, topped in spring by bright blue, white-centred flowers like large forget-me-nots. It came to Britain as an ornamental over 300 years ago and now lines shady hedgerows and lane sides, especially in the south of England. Bees, hoverflies and scarlet tiger moth caterpillars all use it.
How to spot them
- ▸Large, coarse, bristly, pointed-oval leaves forming a rosette up to 40 cm long, sometimes with small white speckles
- ▸Upright bristly stems up to about 90 cm, with pinkish-mauve buds opening to bright blue, white-centred, five-lobed flowers
- ▸Flowers from spring, continuing through summer if the ground is moist
- ▸A deep, thick taproot makes it hard to dig out
- ▸Look-alikes: forget-me-nots are smaller and softer; comfrey has drooping bell-shaped flowers; Brunnera is a garden plant with heart-shaped leaves
How to know it
Its species name means 'always green' or 'always flourishing', a reference to its leaves
Pentaglottis sempervirens — green alkanet.
A member of the borage family whose leaves feed the larvae of the scarlet tiger moth
Green alkanet.
The nectar-rich blue flowers of this roadside escape attract bees, hoverflies and butterflies, and the flowers are edible
Green alkanet.
This species self-seeds readily and has a deep taproot, so it can smother smaller plants in the garden
Green alkanet.
Quick-fire facts
- •Family Boraginaceae (borage family); Pentaglottis sempervirens
- •RHS: introduced to Britain over 300 years ago as an ornamental; now mainly a garden escapee in shady hedgerows and verges, particularly in the south of England
- •Sempervirens means always green or always flourishing
- •Nectar-rich flowers attract bees, hoverflies and butterflies; leaves feed the larvae of the scarlet tiger moth
- •Flowers are edible and make a pretty garnish
- •Long-lived perennial with a deep taproot; can smother smaller plants and self-seeds readily
- •Often mistaken for comfrey, forget-me-not and Brunnera
- •Non-chemical control is effective: digging out the taproot, removing seedlings or smothering
Drill it — 6 cards
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Sources
- Royal Horticultural Society — Green Alkanet