• Regional Noxious Weed

• deep taprooted perennial in the Borage Family with hairy, angular stems growing to 0.6 metres tall; lance-shaped fleshy leaves are covered with stiff hairs; deep purple to blue flowers with white centres; flower stems, initially coiled like a fiddleneck, straighten out as each bud opens; four nut-like seeds produced per flower

• prefers dry, sandy to gravelly soils. Average seed production is in excess of 900 seeds per plant

• is sometimes confused with blueweed (Echium vulgare)

"Fiddleneck" flower stem uncoils as each bud opens