Boraginaceae Family - "Virginia Bluebells, Tree Lungwort, Virginia Cowslip, Mertens"

Mertensia in honor of early German botanist, Franz Karl Mertens and virginica meaning "of Virginia".

Found throughout the Tallgrass Region on rich, moist woodland soils and bottomlands. Very pale fleshy stems (some would say "watery"); fragile structure; stems can be branched or simple. Alternating leaves are smooth, pale, blue-green ovals as long as 5 inches. Flower buds are pale pink, but flowers open to a crisp pocelain blue. Blooms from March through May.

No successful medicinal or food uses reported.