Viper’s bugloss

Echium vulgare

Striking biennial with intensely blue funnel-shaped flowers on bristly upright spikes. One of the most productive nectar plants in the British native flora.

Hardiness ratings

Viper’s bugloss hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 3–8 −40 °C to −6.7 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H7 down to −20 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 3–8 −34 °C to −1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 1–5 −15 °C to 10 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Among the highest nectar producers of any native UK wildflower — bees visit constantly throughout the day
  • Thrives on poor, dry, gravelly soils where richer plants will not compete
  • Self-seeds freely once established — strictly biennial, so allow some plants to set seed each year

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Viper’s bugloss against your zones

Reference

Viper’s bugloss on Wikipedia