In connection with this season’s festivities, today we shall be looking at the pale blugloss, in Maltese known as Ilsien il-Fart Abjad, which colloquially is referred to as “Christmas tree” since it somewhat resembles the artificial trees that we decorate during the season. This common plant bears the scientific name of Echium italicum. Interestingly, the generic name Echium is thought to derive from the Greek word echis meaning male viper, as it was supposed that the plant could cure a viper’s bite and discourage snakes, while the specific name italicum probably refers to its relation to Italy. The pale blugloss is a native of the Balkan peninsula and Mediterranean region, including Malta, where it is usually found growing in valleys, steppes and slightly disturbed ground.
The pale blugloss flowers every two years (biennial plant) and its towering flowering stem may reach a height of around one metre. This flowering part, which is pyramidally-shaped, supports many lateral branches which are covered with rigid, prickly hairs and bear at their end creamy-white, pale pink or bluish flowers, as seen in the picture. During the dry months the stiff hairs, which cover the flowering stem, give the plant a woolly-white appearance thus turning it into a miniature white Christmas tree. At the base of this stem is a cluster of fairly large, lance-shaped leaves arranged in a circular arrangement.
Interestingly, in Crete the tender shoots of the pale blugloss are eaten boiled or steamed.
The pale blugloss is one of the components of our large biological diversity and a part of our Maltese heritage. Through the designation of special areas of conservation Mepa is helping to safeguard many important habitats and species.
More information may be obtained by e-mail: nature.requests@mepa.org.mt.
The United Nations declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity.
Malta, together with many other countries around the globe, is carrying out a number of initiatives to celebrate life on earth and the value of biodiversity for our lives. We are all invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth: Biodiversity.