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Scarlet Pimpernel Wikimedia Commons
Primulaceae

Scarlet Pimpernel

Anagallis arvensis

Change and fickleness.

Family
Primulaceae
Genus
Anagallis
Native to
Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
Bloom season
Spring, Summer
Type
annual herb
Height
0.1-0.5 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
well-drained, sandy or loamy
Water
low
Hardiness
5-10
Lifespan
annual

Did you know

  • Known as the 'poor man's weather glass' because its flowers close before rain.
  • The Scarlet Pimpernel is the namesake of the famous novel by Baroness Orczy about a hero of the French Revolution.
  • Flowers open only in sunny conditions and typically close by early afternoon.
  • Despite its beauty, the plant is mildly toxic to livestock and humans if ingested.
  • The blue-flowered variant was once considered a separate species (Anagallis foemina) but is now recognized as the same species.

Color meanings

0

change

1

fickleness

2

assignation

Uses

  • folk medicine
  • weather forecasting indicator