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 tenella – Bog pimpernel – This mat forming perennial comes from Western Europe.  It bears 6” long procumbent stems but the plant is seldom taller then an inch high and spreads to around 12” inches wide.  In summer it bears soft pink occasional white funnel shaped flowers.  Grow in a boggy site like the edge of ponds and other damp sheltered spots.

Zones 8-10