Anagallis arvensis – Scarlet Pimpernel

Anagallis arvensis - Scarlet Pimpernel (orange flower)

Anagallis arvensis - Scarlet Pimpernel

Plant Name

Scientific Name: Anagallis arvensis

Common Name: Scarlet Pimpernel

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual, Biennial

Growth Habit: Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Introduced. This naturalized plant is native to Europe.

Habitat: Riparian. This attractive, but weedy plant is found in washes, along streams, and in irrigated areas like lawns, pastures, and fields.

Flower Color: Pinkish orange, Scarlet, White, Magenta

Flowering Season: Spring

Height: To 1 foot (30 cm) tall

Description: The less than 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) wide flowers have 5 rounded lobes that are joined together and a bright magenta color at the base. The flowers are only open during dry, sunny weather. The leaves are simple, green, glabrous, sessile, oval to egg-shaped, and opposite or in whorls of 3 around the stems. The stems are green, fleshy, hairless, square in cross-section, and mostly trailing or sprawling.

The similar subspecies Poorman's Weatherglass (Anagallis arvensis ssp. foemina) has blue flowers.

Special Characteristics

Poisonous – The plants are poisonous and contain a variety of toxins. They are mainly a danger to grazing animals.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Dilleniidae
Order: Primulales
Family: Primulaceae – Primrose family
Genus: Anagallis L. – pimpernel
Species: Anagallis arvensis L. – scarlet pimpernel

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map