Viper's-bugloss

Scientific name: Echium vulgare

Blommar mellan vecka 22 och 48.
Blomningstiden är ungefärlig och kan variera mellan åren

Förekomst: Common

Blue fire is common in southern Sweden but occurs more sparingly up to Gästrikland. It grows on dry open ground, such as roadsides, embankments and pebble beaches. Neptuni fields on northern Öland, for example, have a very abundant occurrence of blue fires.

Viper's-bugloss blooms in June-July with large blue flowers sitting in an axillary inflorescence. The flowers are red in bud, but when they turn out to be sky blue, white flowers are also rare. The flowers are loved by bees and butterflies.

The Viper's-bugloss is not domestic in Sweden. It is originally from Southeastern Europe and West Asia. It is spreading strongly in Sweden.

The species name vulgare comes from the Latin vulgus (general, hop) and means general, common. The Swedish name 'blåeld' was suggested by Elias Fries in 1864 after a popular Scanian name for the species. In older swedish literature it is often called 'snokört'. The family name Echium comes from the Greek echis (adder), the name was already used by Dioscorides for a plant used against snake bites.

Viper's-bugloss contains analgesic alkaloids. Decoction of the lower leaves is said to relieve headaches and coughs and has a diuretic effect in fever. The upper part of the inflorescence has been used as a porridge wrap on varicose veins and inflamed fingers. Seed decoction mixed with wine was formerly drunk "to the comfort of the heart and the expulsion of melancholy." But internally, the plant should not be used because it contains carcinogens. The root contains the same red dye as 'sminkrot' and was used in the past by peasant girls who wanted to dye their cheeks red. It has also been used in textile dyeing.

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