Green Alkanet

Most of us are familiar with Green Alkanet, even though we may not be able to readily put a name to it.


Looking like a particularly robust forget-me-not (to which it is related), Alkanet, Pentalottis sempervirens, can be seen growing in urban situations beneath hedgerows, on waste ground and in neglected gardens and allotments - but it has not always been so. In George Druce's  (Druce, 1930) time it was Anchusa sempervirens and he dismisses it in five words: Alien. Europe. Garden relic. Rare. We might agree with the first four words, but rare - certainly not, or at least not in western Northamptonshire. It was first recorded in the county by a William Skrimshire in 1818.

Green Alkanet is not unlike a large forget-me-not.

Badby Road West, Daventry. 10 April, 2020

A red-brown dye can be obtained from the roots and has in the past been used as a substitute for the dye of the true Henna Plant, Lawsonia inermis. A similar dye can be obtained from Dyer's Alkanet, Alkanna tinctoria, and here is the clue to its unusual name. Alkanet is a corruption of the Spanish alcanna, which in turn comes from the Arabic al-henna, the true henna plant. It may be that this bristly plant was originally introduced into Britain as a substitute for true henna. It is hard to imagine it being introduced for any horticultural reasons as the flowers are small and lacking fragrance while the plant has a rather untidy, often sprawling, form.

The flowers are sky-blue and the ovate leaves are distinctly bristly.

Christchurch Drive, Daventry. 13 April, 2020

The plant has been used by apothecaries, but not for any medicinal properties it might have, but as a colouring agent in oily or greasy compounds such as ointments or hair oils.  It has also been used for dyeing wool.

 

Wool dyed using Alkanet

Alkanet can be almost invasive in places, forming such dense growth beneath hedges, etc. that it may crowd out native and less robust plants. However, it is popular with bees and we may therefore forgive it any aggressive tendencies.


Reference


Druce, G.C. (1930)  The Flora of Northamptonshire and the Soke of Peterborough  Buncle, Arbroath