Echium vulgare - Viper's Bugloss - (Boraginaceae)

This medium-height biennial prefers dry wasteland. It is a member of the borage family and is commonly found on sand dunes, well-drained slopes and in places where construction work has left the soil bare. Anywhere close to the coast is a good place to look for this flower of high summer.

Viper's Bugloss in its classic coastal habitat

The flowers of Viper's Bugloss (and several other bugloss species to be found throughout Europe) change colours between pink and purple as can be seen below. Other species of flowers do this, too, including the lovely Blue Hound's Tongue, Cynoglossum creticum.

A closeup of Ecium vulgare flowers

A closeup picture of the flowers of Echium vulgare shows the pink buds and the purple flowers.

Viper's Bugloss is one of our most beautiful wildflowers and is, thankfully, still common and to be found throughout the UK as well as in many parts of Europe.

We found these splendid specimens in Kenfig National Nature Reserve in South Wales.