Pentaglottis sempervirens (green alkanet, evergreen bugloss or alkanet) This is one of the few true blue wild flowers and the bumblebees love the nectar. It is a bristly, perennial plant growing to approximately 60 cm (24") to 90 cm (36"), usually in damp or shaded places and often close to buildings. It has brilliant blue flowers, and retains its green leaves through the winter. The plant has difficulty growing in acidic soil (it is calcicolous)
This plant is NOT the same as Dyer's Alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria) which is a mediterranean low-growing plant the roots giving a red dye.( I am still trying to get hold of this one - if anyone can let me have a bit I'll be very grateful!)
The word "alkanet" derives from Middle English, from Old Spanish alcaneta, diminutive of alcana, "henna", from Medieval Latin alchanna, from Arabic al-ḥinnā’,'henna':
The genus name Pentaglottis is Greek, meaning "five tongues", and the species name sempervirens is Latin and means "always alive", or "evergreen".
Green alkanet blooms in spring and early summer. Its stamens are hidden inside narrow flower-tubes which end in a white eye in the centre of a blue flower (with thanks to Wikipedia)
