Description

Anagallis – Pimpernel

There are about 20 species of low growing or creeping annuals and evergreen perennials, in this genus.  They occur natural in open meadows bogs and dry sites in the Mediterranean and Western Europe.  They produce bright green opposite or alternate heart shaped to elliptical, smooth edged leaves with very short leaf stalks.  In spring and summer solitary bell shaped to open saucer shaped flowers each with 5 petals are produced from leaf axils.  These are easily grown colorful ground cover plants.  They come in a variety of colors of red, blue, white, pink or orange.  They’re fairly frost hardy.

When grown indoors grow in gritty soil based potting mix in full light.

When grown outdoors plant in fertile moist but well-drained soil that doesn’t dry out entirely in summer in full sun.

Prone to aphids.

Anagallis arvensis var. caerulea – Scarlet pimpernel – Common pimpernel – This species from Europe is an annual, or biennial or short lived perennial and is widely regarded as a weed.  This sprawling plant with ½” long rounded bright green leaves bear 18” long stems which carry small brilliant deep blue flowers that appear from spring to autumn.

Zones 7-10