Adelinia spp.

Pacific Hound's tongue

Boraginaceae Western North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 6–9

Overview

Adelinia spp. is a genus in the borage family (Boraginaceae) with a single species, A. grandis, the Pacific hound's tongue, formerly placed in Cynoglossum spp.. It is a deciduous woodland perennial 30–90 cm (12–35 in) tall, growing from a stout taproot. The large basal leaves are oval to elliptic, 10–30 cm (4–12 in) long, with long stalks and a soft, slightly rough surface, while the upper stem leaves clasp the stem. In spring, branched, curving clusters carry many five-lobed flowers about 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 in) across, blue to blue-purple with a ring of small white appendages at the throat, much like a large forget-me-not. The flowers are followed by four nutlets covered in barbed prickles that cling to fur and clothing for dispersal. Adelinia spp. grows in part to full shade in moist, humus-rich woodland soil and goes summer-dormant after flowering and seeding, disappearing until the following spring. It tolerates dry shade once dormant but needs spring moisture. The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so the foliage and roots are poisonous if eaten, and the barbed seeds can become a nuisance on pets and clothing.

Native Range

Adelinia grandis is native to western North America, from British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon into California. It grows in open woodland, forest edges, and shaded slopes, often under oaks and conifers, at low to middle elevations.

Suggested Uses

Planted in woodland and shade gardens, native plant borders, and under deciduous trees for spring colour. Grown with ferns and other spring-dormant woodlanders that fill the gap it leaves in summer. Suited to shaded, seasonally moist sites rather than hot, sunny borders.

How to Identify

Recognised in spring by large, long-stalked, oval basal leaves and branched, coiled clusters of blue to blue-purple five-lobed flowers with white throat appendages, resembling an oversized forget-me-not. After flowering, the barbed, burr-like nutlets that cling to fur and clothing are characteristic. The plant dies back to the ground by summer.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'11"

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring

Adelinia spp. flowers in spring, generally April to May, soon after the leaves emerge. The coiled clusters open their blue flowers over three to four weeks. Barbed seeds follow, and the plant yellows and goes dormant by early summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

blue to blue-purple

Foliage Description

medium green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Tolerates up to 4 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years to flowering

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Adelinia spp. in part to full shade on moist, humus-rich, well-drained woodland soil. It needs moisture from winter through spring but tolerates dry shade in summer once it is dormant. A soil pH from about 6.0 to 7.0 suits it. Mulch with leaf-mould to keep the root zone cool and to mimic its woodland setting. Plants establish poorly after transplanting because of the deep taproot, so set them out young. Cold hardiness runs to about USDA zone 6.

Pruning

Adelinia spp. needs no pruning. Removing the barbed seed stalks before the nutlets ripen limits unwanted self-sowing and stops the burrs catching on pets and clothing. Tattered leaves can be cleared as the plant goes dormant in summer.