Bristly Mediterranean perennial with bright blue forget-me-not-like flowers and a deep purple-red taproot. The root yields a fat-soluble red pigment used for soap, lip salves, oils, and food colouring.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 6–9 | −23.3 °C to −1.1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H5 | −15 °C to −10 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 6–8 | −18 °C to −1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 2–6 | −10 °C to 15 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Red pigment (alkannin) extracted from the dried root — fat-soluble rather than water-soluble, so used as an oil and wax colourant rather than as a textile dye
- Used historically and still today to colour the rich red of high-end lipsticks, beeswax salves, and certain Italian olive oils
- Drought tolerant — natural on stony Mediterranean hillsides
- Distinct from the boraginaceous “alkanet” Anchusa officinalis, which produces little useful dye
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Dyer’s alkanet against your zones