Locally known as Blueweed, Viper’s Bugloss is an herbaceous, non-native, monocarpic* biennial in the Borage (Aster) family. Viper’s Bugloss is also known as Blueweed and Thistle Blueweed.
Fun Fact: The ancients believed (falsely) that Bugloss was a hiding place for snakes. As a result, in mythology the plant is said to be possessed of serpent-like (evil) qualities.
Blueweed is a firm favourite of mine because it is both pink and blue – a rarity in my experience.
The Fairest Weed
A velvet tower of sapphire blue,
With neon spikes of hot pink hue,
It guards the roadside, rough and grand,
A stranger in this northern land.
The Monarch stops to take a seat
Upon this prickly, painted treat,
To sip the nectar flowing free,
Royal guest of a weedy queen.
Though farmers frown to see it amass,
And brand it wild, rebellious grass,
It wears its crown of snake-head seeds,
The fairest of Ontario’s weeds.
’Til next time, y’all…
*Plants that flower, set seeds and die.
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