Small Bugloss & Common Bugloss
Anchusa arvensis & A. officinalis
Description
A. arvensis is an annual herb that has sky blue flowers with a curved tube and five unequal lobes in short cymes. Its leaves are wavy with hairs that have a warty base. A. officinalis is a perennial herb with purplish-blue flowers that have an uncurved tube and five equal lobes in a cyme of more than five. Its leaves are linear with hairs lacking a warty base.Habitat
Roadsides, disturbed habitats, pastures, and cultivated fields (A. arvensis); alfalfa fields, pastures, pine forests, rangeland, riparian and waste areas, and gravelly, glacial out-wash soils (A. officinalis)Distribution
Yamhill County, OR, eastern Washington and other sporadic Washington Counties, and northern Idaho (A. arvensis); northeastern Oregon, much of northern and eastern Washington, King County, WA, and northern Idaho (A. officinalis)Impacts
Create competition for native species, infest cropsDispersal Methods
Natural seed dispersal; in hay, soil, and crop seedPrevention
Preventing these weeds from producing seed should be of highest priority, as the seed bank is persistent. Be vigilant about hay, dirt, and seed from outside your area, as the seeds of these species can be transported in such. Clean off equipment, vehicles, and clothing upon leaving an infested area to prevent spread.Listings
ODAFactsheets
Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board Fact Sheet for Anchusa officinalis
Photos
Images of A. officinalis (scroll down to the bottom of the page)
Distribution Map
Distribution of A. arvensis in Washington
Distribution of A. arvensis in Idaho
Distribution of A. officinalis in Oregon
Distribution of A. officinalis in Washington
Distribution of A. officinalis in Idaho
Other Links
Species Profile of Common Bugloss from the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Noxious Weed Control Program
Species Profile of Common Bugloss from Stevens County Noxious Weed Control Board
Species Profile of Common Bugloss from the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food (contains info about early detection and prevention)