Blue Pimpernel Print

Blue Pimpernel — Anagallis monelli
(sometimes classified as Lysimachia)

A native Mediterranean wildflower with electric-blue, star-shaped petals, a violet heart, and fine, slightly hairy leaves. It grows low to the ground, thriving in rocky soils, open scrub, and sandy terrain, and is especially characteristic of southern Portugal and Spain.

Edibility: Not edible.
This species is mildly toxic if ingested and may cause stomach upset or irritation. It is firmly a look-don’t-taste plant.

Medicinal use: None.
Unlike its relative, scarlet pimpernel, Anagallis monelli has no established role in Iberian folk medicine and is not used by modern herbalists.

Though neither edible nor medicinal, it is an important native species, valued by pollinators and indicative of healthy, low-disturbance habitats.

A tiny sapphire jewel of the Algarve ~ delicate, wild, and so damn cute 💙