Viper's Bugloss

This very attractive flower is growing in profusion on parts of the East Lothian sand dunes and on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh. It has brilliant blue flowers and early herbalists believed it could cure snake bites because of its resemblence to snakes.

"Viper's bugloss lives up to its common name: as the flower stem develops it does so in a coiled form, the red stamens of the flowers stick out like a snake's tongue, the stems which are red flecked resemble a snake's skin and even the fruits are shaped like adders' heads."

When the pink buds uncoil they turn into bright blue flowers which the bees appear to love judging by the numbers of bees around them today. However many farmers dislike the plant as it has long roots and can be so invasive that they call it the blue devil.