Anchusa azurea
Garden alkanet, Garden Alkanet
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Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Anchusa azurea (Garden alkanet) is a non-native California herb in the Boraginaceae family.
Garden alkanet is a naturalized perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada Foothills, southern Central Coast, and San Francisco Bay Area in open sites and disturbed areas at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces striking blue flowers with white appendages, creating a vivid display approximately 12 to 20 millimeters in diameter. Growing with robust stems 50 to 80 centimeters tall, it develops an upright, branching habit with grayish-green foliage. Its upper leaves are particularly distinctive, measuring 5 to 15 millimeters wide, with a lance-like shape that complements the plant's overall structure. The flower's salverform corolla tube stands 6 to 10 millimeters long, with linear calyx lobes that enlarge to 8 to 12 millimeters when fruiting.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 0 sympatric species; geographically isolated with distinctive large blue flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open sites, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 500 m
Outside California: widespread United States, native to central and southern Europe
Bloom period
Anchusa azurea blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Glandora: Anchusa has expanded throat with appendages beyond stamens; Glandora has tight throat with appendages at stamen level.; vs Pentaglottis: Anchusa has oval throat appendages beyond stamens; Pentaglottis has appendages at or below stamen attachment.; vs Symphytum: Anchusa throat gradually widens; Symphytum has distinct narrow tube then expanded throat section.
Frequently asked questions
Is Anchusa azurea native to California?
No. Anchusa azurea is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Anchusa azurea bloom?
Anchusa azurea blooms May-Aug.
What plant family does Anchusa azurea belong to?
Anchusa azurea is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Anchusa.
What habitat does Anchusa azurea grow in?
Anchusa azurea grows in Open sites, disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.