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scarlet pimpernel
Scientific Name: Anagallis arvensis ssp. arvensis
Family: Primulaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Annual, Biennial
Other Names:
Scarlet Pimpernel: More Than Just a Character
While the name "Scarlet Pimpernel" is most famously associated with Baroness Orczy's historical fiction, it's also the common name for a real plant, Anagallis arvensis. Often found as a common weed, it possesses some interesting characteristics and a history tied to folklore.
Common Names
- Scarlet Pimpernel
- Shepherd's Weatherglass
- Shepherd's Sundial
Considerations for Pets
- Scarlet Pimpernel is mentioned as a low-growing plant, which could make it accessible to pets in gardens or during walks.
Considerations for Children
- Scarlet Pimpernel is a relatively small plant, and its presence as a common weed might lead children to interact with it.
Quirky Facts
- The Scarlet Pimpernel has alternative names, "Shepherd's Weatherglass" and "Shepherd's Sundial," because its flowers are known to close up in bad weather. This behavior historically served as a natural weather indicator.
Distribution and Habitat
- The Scarlet Pimpernel is found throughout California, up to 3300 feet in elevation.
- It's also described as a common arable weed.
- One source mentions its presence in Constable Country in Suffolk, England.
- It is identified as being naturalized in North America and of European origin.
Morphological Characteristics
- Scarlet Pimpernel is described as a low-growing, branching, winter or summer annual, and occasionally biennial broadleaf plant.
- It has scarlet, white, or purplish flowers.