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Alkanna

Alkanna tinctoria

Also called Alkanet, Dyer's Alkanet, Spanish Bugloss, Dyer's Bugloss

Alkanna
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0

Dyer's alkanet is a hardy herbaceous perennial in the borage family, grown for its bright blue flowers and the red dye in its roots. It thrives in sunny, well-drained spots and resents waterlogged soil.

Family
Boraginaceae (Borage family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Full sun
Water
Water during dry spells while establishing, then let the soil dry between waterings.
Soil
Well-drained, poor to average soil; tolerates sandy or stony ground.
Temperature
Hardy in cool temperate climates; tolerates cold winters, protect young plants from severe frost.
How easy
Easy
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
EC. Europe to Medit.
Climate
temperate

About

Alkanna tinctoria, the dyer's alkanet or simply alkanet, is a herbaceous flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae. Its roots are used to produce a red dye. The plant is also known as dyers' bugloss, orchanet, Spanish bugloss, or Languedoc bugloss. It is native to the Mediterranean region.

Other Alkanna plants

Alkanet

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Alkanna tinctoria by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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