Plant-Lore

Collecting the folklore and uses of plants

QUERY: Local names of green alkanet

Green alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) has been grown in British gardens since before 1700, and is now widely naturalised. Rather surprisingly it seems to have gathered only three local names: bird’s eye, pheasant’s eye, and water forget-me-not, all recorded from west Somerset.
Does anyone know of any other names?

Response:  On the Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland Facebook page on 4 April 2019 a Skelmersdale, Lancashire, contributor recorded the name blue-eyed Mary for green alkanet.

Image:  Chiswick House Gardens, London Borough of Hounslow, April 2019.

Updated 21 April 2019.

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