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Wild Comfrey, Wild Hound's-tongue, Blue Houndstongue - Cynoglossum virginianum


Family: Boraginaceae - Borage family Genus Common Name: Hound's tongue Native Status: Native
Cynoglossum virginianum - Wild Comfrey, Wild Hound's-tongue, Blue Houndstongue. Woodland wildflower of late spring. There are eight species in the Cynoglossum genus found in the US, three of which are native to North America - C. grande (CA, OR, WA), C. occidentale (CA, OR), and this species, C. virginianum, with one of the two varieties of the species found in most of the eastern half of the U.S. - 34 states.

Wild Comfrey is at risk in 9 states:
  • Connecticut: Special Concern
  • Florida: Endangered
  • Maine: Endangered
  • New Hampshire: Endangered
  • New Jersey: Endangered
  • New York: Endangered
  • Ohio: Presumed Extirpated
  • Pennsylvania: extirpated
  • Vermont: Threatened


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Cynoglossum virginianum

Distribution of Cynoglossum virginianum in the United States and Canada:
Map unavailable.
Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
Map color key

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Site: Blue Hole Area, Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA Date: 2010-April-18Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson
Some say that the leaf of Cynoglossum looks like a hounds tongue, giving the genus its name. The blossom is pale blue, so pale that it may be difficult to detect any blue in the flower at all, especially in the shaded forests where they often grow.
Cynoglossum virginianum

Site: Blue Hole Area, Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA Date: 2011-April-04Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D40
The blossom of Cynoglossum virginianum var. virginianum, the variety on this page, has 5 pale blue rounded lobes which may overlap somewhat. The corolla lobes of var. boreale (Northern Hounds-tongue) are smaller, oblong, and do not overlap. Some authorities classify var. boreale as a separate species - Cynoglossum boreale.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Cynoglossum virginianum

Site: Blue Hole Area, Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA Date: 2011-April-04Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D40
Cynoglossum virginianum is a somewhat tall, leafy plant, growing to nearly 3 feet tall, starting with large basal leaves and then growing the flowering stem which has alternate leaves up to 8 inches long.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Cynoglossum virginianum

References used for identification and information:
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Cynoglossum virginianum initially published on USWildflowers.com 2010-04-29; Updated 2018-04-25

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
Photographs Copyright owned by the named photographer



Code Update 20230302