blueweed
(Echium vulgare)
Also called: Viper's Bugloss
Roots: The roots are of this
biennial plant go deep into sandy
or disturbed
soils. They grow in tufts. (1)
Stems/Leaves:
The leaves are long and
spotted. They can be anywhere
from 2 to 6 inches long. They can be around 1 ¼ to
1-½ inches wide. The
flowering leaves become smaller as you go up the stem. The leaves have
white
spots and they have long hairs on them. The stems stand up to 2
feet to 2
½ feet tall. Like the leaves the stems also have the long
hairs.
There are multiple different stems arising
from the main one. (1)
Flowers: The flowers are really
pretty. The flowers are a
brilliant blue to a purplish color. They are about 7 to 12 mm
long.
They also have the hairs. They are fairly long and resemble
funnels.
This plant flowers from May to September. (1)
Fruits/Seeds: The
seeds ripen from August to October. (1)
Methods of
Reproduction/Spread: This plant has both the parts for male
and female
reproduction within the flower. Bees pollinate this plant to help
it produce seeds. Seeds are spread
by direct contact with the plant be it human or animal, and through the
wind. (1)
Life
Style/Habits/Life Duration: This
plant is a biennial. Biennial means the plant grows
for two years then dies. It does
not respond well to frost. It grows in the summer. (1)
Montana Infestation/History: The
history of this plant includes being used for eating purposes such as
being
used as a substitute for parsley; it can also be used for
medical
purposes. It relieves things such as fevers and headaches.
It infests
areas with loose soils. This weed came from Europe, originally. (1)
Environments Favorable to
Infestation: Soft soils,
and areas
where the soil has been disturbed. The soil needs to be
well-drained
and preferably acid, neutral or basic. (1)
Impacts:
This plant impacts the plants in
yards and some other
plants abilities to grow by choking them out. Also, it draws
wildlife to
it and that could be potentially bad for the area. This is bad
because the
wildlife would start to eat the other plants. The wildlife would
destroy your
lawn by killing the grass. (1)
Comments:
Native Range/ Probable Entry into N. America:
The native range is in Europe. The reason why it was probably
introduced
was its medicinal uses and perhaps its pretty flower. (1)
Methods of control
"how-to": There really aren’t any ways to control it.
Some things that you can do are watch fill dirt or hay or anything like
that for seeds to prevent it. Make sure that the place that you
get the dirt or hay is a reputable
place and that there isn’t any of the weeds around the area.
Also, be able to
identify the plant so that you know what to look for. (1)
Chemical: Some chemical things
to do is to
use herbicides and spray in the spring where they aren’t really growing
quite
yet. (1)
Cultural: Some
cultural things that you could do are to have other vegetation that
could fight
against this weed. You could also keep your lawns healthy by
keeping them
watered. Reduce open areas is the biggest thing that you could
do. (1)
Biological:
There have been no biological
control
agents found yet. (1)
How to Prevent Spread: Keep your lawns and land healthy by
keeping them
watered and/or not overgrazed. Reduce open areas is the biggest
thing that you could do to help control this plant. Some
other ways that you can though is watch fill dirt or hay or anything
like that for seeds to prevent its introduction. Also, be able to identify
the plant so that you know what to look for. (1)
Links:
Connecticut
Botanical Society
http://www.missouriplants.com/Bluealt/Echium_vulgare_page.html
http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/SLEN-5NK3AB?open
http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/T1189.HTM
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ECVU
http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/capsweb/pest_alerts/weed_alert_echium_vulgare.htm
http://2bnthewild.com/plants/H396.htm
http://www.habitas.org.uk/flora/species.asp?item=4019
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artfeb04/bjbugloss.html
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/wildflowers/echium_vulgare.html
Literature
Cited
1. Grieve, M., Botanical.com, A Modern Herbal, Bugloss, Viper's, Date Accessed: 3/2/06, <http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/bugvip85.html>.
By:
Britney 2-22-06