Blue echium Echium plantagineum

Purple Viper's-Bugloss is an annual to biennial native to Europe and the Mediterranean.  It was originally introduced in the U.S.A. and Australia in the 1800s as an ornamental plant, however, has since been declared as quite weedy and invasive in some Pacific coast states. It can be found growing in pastures, along with farm crops, along roadsides as well as in other disturbed areas such as gardens, open woodlands, and waste areas.  

It is spread by birds, livestock and the movement of various types of equipment such as farm vehicles and implements.  It can also be spread by human or animal contact as well as by weather elements, like wind or rain.  

This erect annual lives up to its common names which include the words curse and plague.  Considered weedy, this invasive plant is poisonous to grazing animals and called a threat to natural areas.  The simple digestive system of a horse makes it especially hazardous to them.  It contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause chronic liver damage and death in animals that consume it.  Its threat to natural areas is a cause for concern as it produces an abundance of seeds that can quickly take over pastures and ranges, as well as crowding out other, more desirable plants.

Unfortunately it is sometimes found as a contaminant in wildflower and commercial farm seed.  

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  In addition to being poisonous to grazing animals, humans handling the plant can result in mild to severe skin irritation and hay fever.