Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east across most of North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, ditches, wastelots, and other disturbed open areas.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Introduced from Mediterranean region

Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial, Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies

Erect biennial from a taproot, the stems 3-8 dm. tall, rough-puberulent and spreading-bristly.

Basal leaves oblanceolate, petiolate, 6-25 cm. long and 0.5-3 cm. wide; cauline leaves progressively smaller, becoming sessile.

Inflorescence an elongate aggregate of numerous, short, coiled false-racemes; calyx deeply cleft; corolla bright blue, 12-20 mm. long, funnel-shaped, the 5 lobes unequal; 4 filaments long-exerted, the fifth much shorter; style exerted, hairy.

Nutlets 4, roughened, attached by the base.