Taxon: Echium plantagineum L.

Summary

Genus:

Echium

Family:

Boraginaceae

Subfamily:

Boraginoideae

Tribe:

Lithospermeae

Nomen number:

14875

Place of publication:

Mant. pl. 2:202. 1771

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

03/31/2012 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

4 (2 active, 2 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Invalid Designation(s)
Echium lycopsis auct.
Echium violaceum auct.

Images (3 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (UK). 2010. Refined Echium oil. Note: re. potential use as oil/fat
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 107.
Bramwell, D. 1972. A revision of the genus Echium in Macaronesia. Lagascalia 2:64.
Cufodontis, G. 1953-1972. Enumeratio plantarum aethiopiae: Spermatophyta.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1383.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Lems, K. 1960. Floristic botany of the Canary islands.
Munz, P. A. & D. D. Keck. 1959. A California flora.
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
Pignatti, S. 1982. Flora d'Italia.
Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
Retief, E. & A. E. Van Wyk. 1998. The genus Echium in southern Africa. Bothalia 28:174.
Sheppard, A. W. & M. Smyth. 2012. Echium plantagineum L. - Patterson's curse. In: Julien, M. H. et al., Biological control of weeds in Australia 211-226. Note: widespread and costly for pasture lands in Australia
Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
Stace, C. 1995. New flora of the British Isles.
Täckholm, V. 1974. Students' flora of Egypt, ed. 2.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	blue echium	1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English	blueweed	1	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
English	Lady Campbell-weed	1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English	Paterson's-curse	1	Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
English	purple echium	1	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
English	purple viper's-bugloss	1	Stace, C. 1995. New flora of the British Isles.
English	purple-bugloss	1	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
English	Riverina bluebell	1	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
English	Salvation Jane	1	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
English	viper's-bugloss	1	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
Afrikaans	bloudissel	2	Retief, E. & A. E. Van Wyk. 1998. The genus Echium in southern Africa. Bothalia 28:174.
Afrikaans	pers-echium	2	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
French	vipérine faux-plantain	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1383.
German	wegerichblättriger Natternkopf	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1383.
Spanish	sonaja	2	Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 107.
Swedish	blå snokört	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Madeira Islands		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Africa	Macaronesia	Spain	Canarias		Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria		n.	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Egypt			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Libya		n.	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Georgia			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Cyprus			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Israel			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Jordan			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Lebanon			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Syria			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Turkey			Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine	Krym		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	United Kingdom			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Albania			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Croatia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece		incl. Crete	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy		incl. Sardinia, Sicily	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Slovenia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France		incl. Corsica	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Portugal			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain		incl. Baleares	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
2	Cultivated					also cult.
4	Naturalized	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
4	Naturalized	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Azores		Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Eritrea			Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
4	Naturalized	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia			Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
4	Naturalized	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	Lesotho			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia			Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	New Zealand	New Zealand			Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Ontario		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Massachusetts		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New York		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Oregon		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Manitoba		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Chile			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Uruguay			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.

Native
Africa

MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria (n.), Egypt, Libya (n.), Morocco, Tunisia

Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
CAUCASUS: Georgia

Europe

NORTHERN EUROPE: United Kingdom
MIDDLE EUROPE: Germany
EASTERN EUROPE: Ukraine [Krym]
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Slovenia
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa

MACARONESIA: Portugal [Azores]
NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Eritrea, Ethiopia
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Lesotho, South Africa

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand

Northern America

EASTERN CANADA: Canada [Ontario]
WESTERN CANADA: Canada [Manitoba]
NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania]
NORTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Oregon]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [California]

Southern America

SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Reference(s)

Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Bee plants	honey production		Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Bee plants	honey production		Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Environmental	ornamental		Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Environmental	ornamental		Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Environmental	ornamental		Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Human food	oil/fat	potential	Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (UK). 2010. Refined Echium oil. Note: re. potential use as oil/fat
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	as Echium lycopsis	Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	as Echium lycopsis	Everest, S. L. 1981. Poisonous plants of Australia. Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	as Echium lycopsis	Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	as Echium lycopsis	Lampe, K. F. & M. A. McCann. 1985. AMA handbook of poisonous and injurious plants Note: poisonous
Weed		of pasture lands	Sheppard, A. W. & M. Smyth. 2012. Echium plantagineum L. - Patterson's curse. In: Julien, M. H. et al., Biological control of weeds in Australia 211-226. Note: widespread and costly for pasture lands in Australia
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 107.
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=14875. Accessed 17 April 2026.