Plant Guide

Description
BLUEWEED General: Blueweed is a member of the borage family
(Boraginaceae). It is an introduced species native to
Echium vulgare L. Europe. Blueweed can be a biennial or short-lived
Plant Symbol = ECVU perennial. It has a significant rooting system comprised of
a tap root and smaller fibrous roots. The tap root is black
Contributed by: USDA, NRCS, Montana State Office and can range in length from 12 to 32 inches (30.5 to 81
centimeters), allowing deep soil penetration. Vegetation
forms initially as a basal rosette. Rosette leaves are
simple, entire, oblanceolate, approximately 2.5 to 10
inches in length and 0.5 to 3 inches in width, with a single
vein and a short petiole. Stem leaves are alternate in
arrangement becoming progressively smaller and bract-
like towards the top of the stem. Mature plants grow one
to many erect, branching flowering stems reaching over
36 inches in height. Both the stems and leaves are covered
with stout, spreading hairs that have swollen, red, purple
or black bases, underlain by smaller fine appressed hairs.
The swollen bases of the spreading hairs give the stems a
spotted appearance.

The stem terminates in a panicle inflorescence, each

branch of the panicle forms a short helicoid cyme, shaped
like a scorpions tail, subtended by an upper foliage leaf.
Blueweed plants growing in Washington. Photo courtesy of Stevens
County, Washington, Noxious Weed Control Board, 2000.
There can be as many as 50 cymes per stem, and each
cyme bears up to 20 flowers. The showy flowers range in
Alternate Names size from 0.4 to 0.8 inch. The funnel-shaped, five-lobed,
Common viper’s bugloss, blue thistle, blue devil, and pubescent flowers are typically bright blue, but may also
snake flower. be purple, pink, or rarely white. Flowers widen as they
mature, and the upper lobes are noticeably longer.
Uses Another identifying characteristic is the five pink or red
Blueweed has been used as a horticultural plant. stamens, one of which is noticeably shorter than the four
which are long-exerted beyond the corolla tube. The
Status superior ovary is four-lobed with the style arising from
Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State the center of the lobes.
Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current
status (e.g., threatened or endangered species, state The seeds of blueweed are called nutlets. They are brown
noxious status, and wetland indicator values). This plant or gray with a rounded pyramid shape, and are very small,
can be weedy and invasive, and is listed as noxious in (< 0.1 inch long and wide, or 2.4 x 1.6 x 1.5 millimeters).
Washington and Montana. The surface of the nutlets is rough and very hard. This
characteristic provides blueweed seeds with moderate
Weediness survival times in the seed bank, with a three year survival,
This plant may become weedy or invasive in some typical at depths of 6 inches (15 centimeters) or more.
regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation
if not properly managed. Please consult with your local Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the
NRCS Field Office, Cooperative Extension Service Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web
office, state natural resource, or state agriculture site.
department regarding its status and use. Weed information Life history: Blueweed is a monocarpic perennial,
is also available from the PLANTS Web site at meaning it flowers once and dies. This typically takes two
plants.usda.gov. Please consult the Related Web Sites on years (biennial) but can take as long as five years. No
the Plant Profile for this species for further information. blueweed plant that has flowered has been observed to
survive and grow a secondary rosette. Populations of
blueweed have been observed to be cyclic similar to the parent plant resulting in a patchy distribution of
yellow sweetclover; one year an infestation will be plants. Nutlets weigh about 2.5 milligrams and can drift
densely populated followed by one or more years of short distances on the wind. Nutlets float and are
sparse population. transported by floodwaters and rain-wash. Some nutlets
remain within the calyx of the stiff-haired flower that can
Typically, seedlings emerge in the spring. However, some attach to animal fur. Detached nutlets can also be
seedlings emerge in the summer and autumn. Blueweed transported in animal fur and by ants. Vehicles and
seeds (nutlets) have high viability at maturity (90%) and equipment can also move seeds long distances. Because
the thick nutlet wall provides some dormancy. of its showy blue flowers, blueweed has been planted in
Stratification increases germination. Seeds can remain gardens from which it can spread to adjacent lands.
viable for three years when buried in the soil, but seeds
sown on the soil surface do not persist for more than one Management
year. Vegetative reproduction of blueweed has not been See control below.
observed.
Pests and Potential Problems
Rosettes develop and increase in diameter throughout the Blueweed can be invasive. See environmental concerns
growing season. During this time, blueweed forms a large below.
root system that enables its survival in drought-prone
habitats. The semi-succulent leaves and epidermal leaf Environmental Concerns
hairs also provide drought tolerance. The older rosette Blueweed reduces forage production and wildlife habitat.
leaves die after the onset of freezing in the autumn Grazing animals avoid foraging on blueweed because of
leaving a few small central rosette leaves to survive the stiff hairs on the stems and leaves and because of the
throughout the winter. high concentrations of pyrrolizidine alkaloids contained in
these plant parts. The alkaloids accumulate in the liver
Rosettes must go through a cold vernalization period and when ingested where they can cause liver disease. Skin
reach a certain size before flowering. Bolting begins in contact with the hairs also causes dermatitis resulting in
early June for plants that meet these requirements. inflammation and itching in humans. Blueweed is an
Flowers bloom beginning in early June and continue alternate host to wheat rust, is a natural host to alfalfa
blooming until mid-September or until the first hard frost. mosaic virus, tobacco mosaic virus, and cabbage black
Flowering commonly occurs in two phases, the first is ring spot.
from June to July with a second flowering phase
occurring from August to October in later blooming Seeds and Plant Production
plants. Blueweed is pollinated by insects and the ruby- Not applicable.
throated hummingbird. More than 50 insect species visit
the flowers including honeybees, bumblebees, halicitid Control
bees, and butterflies. Seeds mature about one month after
bloom. Seed dispersal begins about one month after seeds Please contact your local agricultural extension specialist
mature, generally in early August, peaking in September, or county weed specialist to learn what works best in your
and continuing through early November. Plants produce area and how to use it safely. Always read label and
from 500 to 2,000 seeds per plant. safety instructions for each control method. Trade names
and control measures appear in this document only to
Adaptation provide specific information. USDA NRCS does not
Blueweed is native to southern Europe. It is adapted to guarantee or warranty the products and control methods
temperate areas with cool winters, warm summers, and a named, and other products may be equally effective.
relatively moist climate. Arid regions including deserts, Herbicide: Herbicide trials on a rangeland site in Ravalli
dry grasslands, and chaparral generally do not support County, Montana, showed metsulfuron (1 ounce/acre
blueweed populations. Abundant populations are found product-Escort and others), chlorsulfuron (1 ounce/acre
on coarse, sandy soils of limestone or dolomite parent product-Telar and others), or their combination (0.5 + 0.5
material, although populations can also be found in areas ounce/acre) applied to rosettes in the spring or fall
with acidic soils and granitic parent material. It grows provided nearly 100 percent control of blueweed one year
well on soils with poor fertility. It is a weed of sparsely after treatment. Pasture formulations containing 2,4-D at
vegetated and disturbed areas and typically is found in 1-2 quarts/acre have been used successfully on blueweed
wastelands or disturbed areas, along roadsides and in the rosette stage during active growth. Multiple
watercourses, and in overgrazed pastures. Blueweed does applications may be required to ensure complete control
not grow well under dense vegetation. of this species. Blueweed is listed on the Crossbow®
label (2,4-D + triclopyr) for control using a 1 percent
Establishment mixture or 1 quart/acre applied during active growth.
Blueweed nutlets have no morphological adaptations for Always consult product labels and read them carefully to
dispersal and most seeds fall to the ground passively near
ensure correct species/land management usage, chemical Fertilization: Blueweed does well on soils with low
application rates, and precautionary requirements. fertility. Also, flowering of blueweed is reduced under
high nutrient conditions. On cultivated pastures and hay
Hand pulling: Pulling or digging blueweed by hand works meadows, nutrient management is important to
well for smaller infestation if the soil is moist. Care maintaining the competitiveness of desired perennial
should be taken when hand pulling to ensure the tap root grasses. Nutrient management combined with judicious
is removed because this plant can regenerate if the root use of herbicides and crop rotation is recommended where
remains. Pulling or digging should be done before plants blueweed invades non-native pastures and hay meadows.
bloom to help prevent seed production. If blooming has
already occurred, the plants should either be burned or Prescribed burning: No specific information is available
bagged for disposal. A long-sleeve shirt and gloves are for prescribed fire effects on blueweed. Although
recommended for protection while pulling blueweed as flowering plants may be burned to control seed
the stiff hairs on the stems and leaves may irritate the production and distribution, large-scale burning could
skin. create a disturbed environment favorable to blueweed and
other invasive plant species. Areas within a prescribed
Mowing: Mowing or cutting the plants can help reduce burn where blueweed has invaded should be monitored
seed production on larger infestations in the short term, and treated with herbicides where necessary.
but re-sprouting and production of flowers or seeds below
the blade level are common. Mowed areas should be Grazing management: No information was found on
carefully monitored. grazing management of blueweed. Generally blueweed is
avoided by large herbivores because of the stiff hairs on
Tilling: Research in Canada and Europe demonstrated
that under cultivation blueweed was displaced by other
plants. However, the disturbance of tillage can create a
favorable environment for blueweed growth and
reproduction by reducing competitive perennial plants.
Tillage should be combined with herbicide management
and followed by revegetation with desired, competitive
plants.

Irrigation: Blueweed does well under moist conditions

and therefore irrigation is not recommended as a control
by itself. Where blueweed invades irrigated pastures and
hayland, carefully planned irrigation management will
stimulate the competitiveness of the forage crop and when
combined with nutrient, forage harvest, and grazing
management practices will help prevent the re-
establishment of blueweed after other control practices
are applied.
 the foliage and toxic alkaloids. Prescribed Echium vulgare L. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 82:
grazing to maintain grazing land health will help 235-248.
Prepared By
prevent new populations of blueweed and Melissa Graves
reestablishment of populations after control Extension Weeds and IPM Specialist, Montana State
measures are applied. University, Bozeman, Montana
Jane Mangold
Biological control: Currently, there are no biological Extension Invasive Species Specialist, Montana State
control agents approved for management of blueweed. University, Bozeman, Montana
There are three North American insect species known to Jim Jacobs
feed on the species: a lace bug (Dictyla echii Schrank), USDA, NRCS, Montana State Office, Bozeman, Montana
moth (Ethmia bipunctella Fabricus), and chrysomelid
beetle (Longitarsus melanurus Melsheimer). These Species Coordinator
insects are not known to occur in the Northwest United Jim Jacobs
States. USDA, NRCS, Montana State Office, Bozeman, Montana

Revegetation: Blueweed is not shade tolerant and is Published: January 2010

seldom found on closed vegetative communities.
Disturbance is favorable to blueweed and removal of Edited: 16Oct09JSJ; 12Nov09KLP
natural vegetation provides opportunities for
establishment. Revegetation of disturbances is therefore For more information about this and other plants, please
important to prevent blueweed invasion. contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation
District at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ and visit the
Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area PLANTS Web site at http://plants.usda.gov/ or the Plant
of origin) Materials Program Web site http://plant-
Not Applicable. materials.nrcs.usda.gov.

References PLANTS is not responsible for the content or availability

Klemow, K.M., D.R. Clements, P.F. Threadgill, and P.B. of other Web sites.
Carvers. 2002. The biology of Canadian weeds. 116.

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