Genus Anchusa: characteristics, main species and care

Anchusa is a herbaceous plant with small flowers

Image – Wikimedia Commons / Ivar Leidus

Plants that are included within the genus anchusa they are great to bring joy to a balcony or garden. Its flowers are small, but numerous and, in addition, they last quite a long time. Some of the varieties are perennial, which means that they live for several years, and in all of them their petals will show beauty at some point.

They grow fast and multiply easily by seeds. So we are going to get to know them to learn everything about them and know how to take care of them.

Origin and characteristics of the Anchusa

Our protagonists are plants that grow in Asia, Europe, North Africa and South America. Its life cycle can be annual, biennial or perennial; that is, they live 1, 2 or more years. The leaves are simple or wavy, and are covered by a kind of short whitish hairs.

If we talk about the flowers, they are symmetrical, formed by five sepals and five bluish petals. These are grouped in cymes or clusters, and are very attractive to bees, which do not hesitate to approach them to pollinate them.

Main species

The genus is made up of 40 species, but the most popular are the following:

Anchusa arvensis

Anchusa arvensis is a grass

The Anchusa arvensis is an annual herb native to Europe that reaches 60 centimeters in height. The leaves are linear or lanceolate, and its flowers are blue or rarely white, about 4-6 millimeters in diameter. These appear in spring and summer.

wide azurea

Anchusa azurea has blue flowers

Image – Wikimedia / H. Zell

The wide azurea is a perennial herb that grows between 1 and 1,5 meters tall. Its stems branch from the base, but these branches do not appear until after the first year. The leaves are alternate and lanceolate, green. Its flowers are blue and hermaphroditic, and they sprout in cymose inflorescences. It blooms in spring.

wide ironing

Anchusa calcarea is a European herb

Image – Wikimedia / Balles2601

The wide ironing It is a species of biennial or perennial herb native to southern Europe, found in Spain. Grows between 40 and 150 centimeters in heightand its leaves are elliptical or oblanceolate. The flowers are bluish, and are grouped in inflorescences.

Anchusa officinalis

Anchusa officinalis has purple flowers

Image – Wikimedia / xulescu_g

The Anchusa officinalis it is a biennial herbaceous plant native to southern Europe. It develops stems with a height of 40-70 centimetersand its leaves are lanceolate. The flowers are blue or purple, and appear in inflorescences.

It is said to have medicinal properties, the flowers being used as expectorants and sudorifics.

The width of the puechii

The The width of the puechii It is an annual herb also native to southern Europe, which grows naturally in Spain (southwest of the Iberian Peninsula). Reaches a height of 30 to 50 centimeterswith lanceolate or spatulate leaves. The flowers are bluish.

anchusa undulata

View of the Anchusa undulata

Image – Wikimedia / Xemenendura

The anchusa undulata It is a biennial or perennial herb endemic to both the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco. Grows up to 60 centimeters talland its leaves are alternate, and oblong-lanceolate. Its flowers are hermaphroditic, purple, and sprout in spring.

What are the care that must be given to them?

Do you want to grow an Anchusa in your garden or patio? If so, we recommend that you take into account the advice that we are going to offer you, since this way you will know how to keep it healthy:

Location

These are plants that you have to put in a sunny placesince the lack of light hurts them. Therefore, it is interesting that, even from the first day its seeds are to be sown, the hotbed to the rays of the star king directly, as this is how they grow well from the beginning.

Earth

  • the garden: in the wild they grow in well-drained soils rich in organic matter.
  • Flower pot: you can use universal substrate for plants (on sale here!).

Irrigation

It is advisable to water the Anchusa about 3 or 4 times a week throughout the summer.. But the rest of the year it will be better to space the waterings more, since the land takes longer to dry.

Every time you water, add enough water, until you see that the soil is soaked. Use rainwater whenever you can, or failing that, one that is soft.

Subscriber

The leaves of anchusa have hairs

Image – Wikimedia Commons / Albert Salguero

During the warm months, since the plant will be growing, it will be interesting to add compost, such as a handful of mulch or compost if it is in the ground, or guano in liquid form if it is in a pot. But yes, Regardless of what you choose, it is important, especially if you opt for a fertilizer, to follow the instructions that will be indicated on the containersince otherwise you could be left without a plant.

Multiplication

The Anchusa multiply by seeds in spring or summer. To do this, what is done is to sow them, for example, in a seedbed tray, putting 1-2 seeds in each alveolus, with a specific substrate (for sale here!). These must be covered by a thin layer of earth, so that they are not exposed to the sun so directly.

Then, it is watered by immersion (that is, putting the seedling inside a normal tray, and pouring water into it), and that’s it.

Rusticity

It will depend on the Anchusa species, but biannuals and perennials endure the cold and some frosts, down to -7ºC.

Did you know this genus of plants?

Genus Anchusa: characteristics, main species and care

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