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Adelinia grandis

Pacific hound's tongue

Boraginaceae western North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–9

Overview

Adelinia grandis, Pacific hound's tongue, is a woodland perennial in the borage family of western North America, long known as Cynoglossum grande. It grows 12-36 inches (30-90 cm) tall from a deep, thickened root, sending up a few upright stems in late winter. The large basal leaves are oval to oblong, 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) long, on long stalks, deep green above and paler beneath. In early spring the stems carry loose clusters of flowers that resemble large forget-me-nots, each 0.5-0.75 inch (12-18 mm) across, deep blue to blue-purple with a ring of white, toothed appendages at the throat. The flowers feed early bees and other spring pollinators. Four barbed nutlets follow, which cling to fur and clothing and spread the seed. The plant grows in the shade of oak and mixed-evergreen woodland on slopes and canyon banks. As the soil dries in summer it sets seed and dies back, going dormant until the next wet season, so it occupies the garden for only part of the year.

Native Range

Native to western North America, from British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon to the mountains of southern California. It grows on shaded slopes, canyon walls, and the floor of oak and mixed-evergreen forest, mostly below 5,000 feet (1,500 m).

Suggested Uses

Used in woodland and native shade gardens, under oaks, and in naturalized plantings for early-spring blue flowers. Combines with ferns and other spring ephemerals suited to a dry-summer dormancy.

How to Identify

Identified by large, long-stalked basal leaves and early-spring clusters of blue, forget-me-not flowers with a white, toothed ring at the center. The barbed nutlets that stick to fur and clothing are typical of hound's tongues. The big basal leaves and woodland setting separate it from smaller-leaved forget-me-nots of open ground.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread1' - 1'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

blue

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~5 weeks

Winter Spring

Among the earlier woodland wildflowers, flowering from February to May depending on elevation. Bloom lasts about 4-6 weeks. Barbed nutlets ripen by early summer as the plant begins to go dormant.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

deep blue to blue-purple

Foliage Description

deep green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Requires 2-6 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 Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years from seed

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in partial to full shade on moist, well-drained, humus-rich soils that dry in summer. It needs spring moisture but tolerates a dry, dormant rest and can rot if watered through summer. Propagation is by fresh seed sown in fall, since the deep root makes division and transplanting difficult. Established plants self-sow modestly where the soil is undisturbed. It has few pests, though slugs may graze new leaves. The plant disappears by midsummer, leaving a gap that later perennials can fill.

Pruning

No pruning is needed. The foliage yellows and dies back as summer dormancy sets in and can be cleared once withered. Leaving the nutlets in place allows the plant to self-sow.

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Unknown