Blue Hound’s Tongue: A Mediterranean Wildflower in American Gardens
If you’ve stumbled across a plant with rough, fuzzy leaves and small blue flowers that seems to pop up in unexpected places, you might be looking at blue hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum creticum). This Mediterranean native has quietly made itself at home in parts of the American landscape, though it’s not exactly what you’d call a garden center darling.
What is Blue Hound’s Tongue?
Blue hound’s tongue is a biennial forb, which is just a fancy way of saying it’s a non-woody herbaceous plant that takes two years to complete its life cycle. In its first year, it develops a rosette of leaves close to the ground, then sends up flowering stems in its second year before setting seed and dying. The common name comes from the shape and texture of its leaves, which supposedly resemble a dog’s tongue – though you’ll have to use your imagination on that one!
Native Status and Where You’ll Find It
Here’s the thing about blue hound’s tongue: it’s not native to North America. This plant originally hails from the Mediterranean region, particularly around Crete, but it has established populations in Missouri and Texas. As a non-native species, it reproduces on its own in the wild without any help from gardeners, though it hasn’t spread as widely as some other introduced plants.
What Does It Look Like?
Blue hound’s tongue won’t win any beauty contests, but it has its own rustic charm. The plant produces small, funnel-shaped flowers in shades of blue to purple, typically blooming in spring and early summer. The leaves are covered in rough hairs that give them a sandpapery texture – definitely not the soft, touchable foliage you’d want in a sensory garden! The entire plant can reach 1-3 feet tall and about 1-2 feet wide.
Growing Conditions and Care
If you’re thinking about growing blue hound’s tongue (or if it’s already growing itself in your yard), here’s what you need to know:
- Sunlight: Prefers full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Not picky – adapts to various soil types
- Water: Drought tolerant once established
- USDA Zones: Hardy in zones 7-10
- Maintenance: Low maintenance, almost to a fault
Should You Plant It?
This is where things get interesting. Blue hound’s tongue is one of those plants that gardeners have mixed feelings about. On the positive side, it’s incredibly low maintenance, attracts small pollinators like bees and butterflies, and can add a wildflower element to naturalized areas. It’s also quite drought tolerant, making it suitable for xeriscaping in appropriate zones.
On the flip side, it can self-seed readily and may pop up where you don’t want it. Since it’s not native, it doesn’t provide the same ecological benefits as indigenous plants that co-evolved with local wildlife.
Native Alternatives to Consider
If you’re drawn to the blue flowers and wildflower appeal of blue hound’s tongue, consider these native alternatives instead:
- Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa): Purple-pink flowers, excellent for pollinators
- Blue wild indigo (Amorpha fruticosa): Blue-purple flower spikes, supports native insects
- Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis): Three-petaled blue flowers, grassland native
The Bottom Line
Blue hound’s tongue is neither garden villain nor horticultural hero – it’s simply a plant that exists in that gray area between wild and cultivated. If you already have it growing and enjoy its rustic appearance and pollinator appeal, there’s no urgent need to remove it. However, if you’re planning a new garden, choosing native plants with similar characteristics will better support local ecosystems while giving you that wildflower look you’re after.
Remember, the best gardens are those that work with nature rather than against it, and sometimes that means appreciating the plants that choose us rather than the ones we choose!
