# purple viper's-bugloss (*Echium plantagineum*)

The purple viper's-bugloss is a beautiful flower with bright purple petals. It attracts bees and butterflies, making gardens lively and colorful. This plant loves sunny spots and can grow in poor soil.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![purple viper's-bugloss](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Echium_April_2010-2.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Echium_April_2010-2.jpg)

## Appearance

The purple viper's-bugloss has vibrant, bell-shaped purple flowers that grow in long, curving spikes. Its hairy stems and leaves give it a slightly rough texture, making it distinct from smoother wildflowers.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Boraginales
- **Family:** Boraginaceae
- **Genus:** Echium

## Interesting facts

- Each plant can produce thousands of seeds, allowing it to spread far and wide!
- Its name 'viper's-bugloss' comes from the tiny seeds resembling a viper's head!
- The beautiful flowers are sometimes used to make natural purple and blue dyes!
- This plant can be a super important food source for many types of bees and butterflies!

## Special abilities

- **Nectar Beacon:** Purple viper's-bugloss has bright purple flowers that change color, guiding insects to its abundant nectar for successful pollination.
- **Toxin Shield:** Purple viper's-bugloss contains special toxins that protect it from being eaten by many grazing animals, helping it survive in harsh conditions.
- **Deep Drinker:** Purple viper's-bugloss has a long taproot that can reach deep into the soil to find water, allowing it to survive dry periods.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 20-60 cm
- **Spread:** 15-40 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Moderate
- **Lifecycle:** Biennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen.
- **Pollinates:** Painted lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — Feeds on its abundant nectar.
- **Eaten by:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — Can be poisoned by toxins.
- **Eats:** Bugloss Moth (*Cochylichus echiumanus*) — Larvae consume the seeds.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify purple viper's-bugloss?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is purple viper's-bugloss?

20-60 cm

### How wide does purple viper's-bugloss spread?

15-40 cm

### How big are the flowers on purple viper's-bugloss?

1-2 cm

### When does purple viper's-bugloss bloom?

Spring to Summer

### Is purple viper's-bugloss edible?

No

### Is purple viper's-bugloss toxic?

Moderate

### What is purple viper's-bugloss's lifecycle?

Biennial

## Where to spot

- [Garajonay National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/garajonay-national-park) — Spain, ES · National Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Purple Viper's-bugloss: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/purple-vipers-bugloss)