Invasive Plant Details
Back to Full ListCommon Bugloss
Latin Name: Anchusa officinalis
Identification
Flower: Bright blue, funnel-shaped flowers that bloom in late spring through summer.
Leaves: Lance-shaped, rough, and hairy leaves with a greyish-green appearance.
Stems: Erect, rough, and bristly, growing up to 90 cm tall.
Growing Environment: Prefers dry, well-drained soils, roadsides, and disturbed areas.
Growth Habit: A biennial or short-lived perennial herb that forms a basal rosette of leaves in its first year. In its second year, it sends up a tall, flowering stalk covered in rough hairs. In situ, common bugloss often forms loose colonies of rough, bristly plants with vivid blue flowers.
Impacts on Environment
Impacts: Moderately invasive, particularly in dry, open areas. It invades pastures, hay fields, crops and rangelands.