This introduction from Europe used to be classified as a successful garden escape when I started botanising. It's escape has been so successful that it is now not at all uncommon as a hedgerow plant. It flowers fairly early and always has some blooms on plants in the group even after the first frosts. Sempervirens means Evergreen and the "Green" in the common name Green Alkanet refers to that rather than the colour of the flowers.

P. sempervirens is common throughout England and most of Wales but records diminish as you go north. In Scotland it is commoner in the east and uncommon in the far north.

Pentaglottis sempervirens Green Alkanet ear Cwm North Wales, 10th October 2004 Previous   Next

Pentaglottis sempervirens Green Alkanet

Helsby, Cheshire 28th March 2005

Added on November 14th 2004, amended on January 30th 2005, updated February 24th 2011