Ankruid

Ankruid is a Dutch common name for several herbaceous flowering plants in the Boraginaceae family, most commonly species in the genus Anchusa, such as the common bugloss (Anchusa officinalis) and field bugloss (Anchusa arvensis). These plants are typically upright, with rough, hairy leaves and bristly stems. They bear loose panicles of funnel-shaped blue to violet flowers, blooming from late spring to late summer and attracting bees and other pollinators.

They are native to Europe and western Asia and have naturalized in other temperate regions. In horticulture, ankruid is valued as an ornamental in borders and wildflower plantings, appreciated for its long flowering period and drought-tolerant habit; it prefers sunny locations and well-drained soil.

Ecology and cautions: Members of the Boraginaceae may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so some species are not suitable for consumption by people or livestock. The plants can self-seed readily, making them useful for naturalistic plantings but potentially invasive in favorable conditions.

See also: bugloss, Anchusa.