Seasonal Wild Flowers

Hound's-tongue

Cynoglossum officinale

Boraginaceae

May to August

It is found mainly in East Anglia, the Southeast, the South

and as far west as Somerset and Dorset.

It is thinly scattered elsewhere

See the BSBI distribution map for Hound's-tongue

It grows on disturbed ground on dry soils, such as, sand

dunes, shingle, grassland, rabbit warrens, open

woodland and cleared areas.

It used to be grown as a medicinal herb.

Hound’s-tongue is a native. biennial herb, growing up

to 60cm.

The flower spikes are soft, grey and downy.

Flowers are up to 1cm across and maroon red.

Sepals are downy.

The fruits are nutlets that have hooked spines for

attachment to passing animals.

The leaves are green, broad and lanceolate.

Hound's-tongue on Chesil shingle, Dorset

Drooping flowers on flower spike

Unopened, open and fruiting flowers

Open and finished flowers

Side view of flowers, long grey sepals

Flower and fruiting bodies

Leaves

Close-up of fruiting bodies