Plant Details

Anchusa azurea

Anchusa, Italian bugloss

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Common names

33 names · 25 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Anchusa
  • Garden Alkanet[1]
  • Italian bugloss[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Large blue alkanet[1]
  • Ox Tongue[1]
Other languages (24)
Dutch
  • Blauwe ossentong[1]
  • Blauwe ossetong
  • Italiaanse ossentong
French
  • Buglosse bleue[1]
  • Buglosse d'Italie[1]
Afrikaans
  • ossetongblaar[1]
Arabic
  • لسان الثور الأزرق[1]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 天蓝牛舌草[1]
Czech
  • pilát modrý[1]
Danish
  • Italiensk oksetunge[1]
Finnish
  • italianrasti[1]
German
  • Italienische Ochsenzunge[1]
Greek
  • Αγόγλωσσος[1]
Hebrew
  • לשון-פר איטלקית[1]
Hungarian
  • Olasz atracél[1]
Italian
  • Ancusa azzurra[1]
  • Buglossa azzurra[1]
Japanese
  • ウシノシタグサ[1]
Norwegian
  • italiaoksetunge[1]
Polish
  • farbownik lazurowy[1]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Воловик лазоревый[1]
Slovak
  • smohla azúrová[1]
Slovenian
  • modri volovski jezik[1]
Swedish
  • italiensk oxtunga[1]
Turkish
  • sığırdili[1]
Ukrainian
  • Воловик лазуровий[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Anchusa azurea — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Italian Bugloss — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Garden Alkanet — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Buglossa — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Buglosse d'Italie — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Buglosse bleue — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • לשון-פר איטלקית — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • pilát modrý — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Large blue alkanet — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Воловик лазоревый — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • italiaoksetunge — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • italianrasti — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Italienische Ochsenzunge — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Αγόγλωσσος — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • ウシノシタグサ — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Buglossa — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • italiensk oxtunga — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Blauwe ossentong — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Buglossa azzurra — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Ancusa azzurra — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Italiensk oksetunge — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Воловик лазуровий — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • ossetongblaar — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Ox Tongue — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • modri volovski jezik — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • farbownik lazurowy — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • Olasz atracél — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • لسان الثور الأزرق — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • sığırdili — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • smohla azúrová — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.
  • 天蓝牛舌草 — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 75429; Anchusa azurea.

General information

Scientific name: Anchusa azurea
Accepted name (Kew): Anchusa azurea Mill. View name reference ↗

The original source explicitly identifies Anchusa azurea Mill., accepted by Kew. The Schur name refers to Anchusa ochroleuca and is excluded.

Sources [2] [3]
Botanical family: Boraginaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Anchusa (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Anchusa, Italian bugloss
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.60 m
Spread: - m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3-7
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Flowers, Shoots
Edibility rating:
(2)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Dye

Description

Flowers - raw. They are not only a beautiful addition to salads but also suitable as a garnish. The tender young leaves and flowering shoots can be cooked and eaten as vegetables.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/05
Harvest ends: 15/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 723085; name ID 2636437; Anchusa L.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Anchusa azurea Mill.
    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Name heading and taxonomic status; The original source explicitly identifies Anchusa azurea Mill., accepted by Kew. The Schur name refers to Anchusa ochroleuca and is excluded.

    Source checked on .

  3. Plants For A Future Anchusa azurea - Mill.
    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Catalogue source profile: authorship and name context only. The original source explicitly identifies Anchusa azurea Mill., accepted by Kew. The Schur name refers to Anchusa ochroleuca and is excluded.

    Source checked on .