European heliotrope
Heliotropium europaeum
Its flowers exhibit heliotropism, meaning they actively track the sun's movement across the sky, a trait that gave the genus its name from the Greek words for 'sun' and 'turn'.
- Scientific name
- Heliotropium europaeum
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Boraginales › Boraginaceae › Heliotropium
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Dry grasslands, roadsides, disturbed soils, agricultural fields, and waste places.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis utilizing sunlight, water, and soil nutrients).
- Range
- Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, Australia (introduced), North America (introduced)
- Size
- 10 to 40 cm in height
- Lifespan
- Annual (less than 1 year)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Herbicide application, intensive agricultural tilling, and urban development.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch, but highly toxic if ingested. Do not consume any part of the plant, and keep dogs, horses, and livestock away from it, as its pyrrolizidine alkaloids cause severe liver damage. If ingested by humans or animals, seek medical or veterinary attention immediately.
Heliotropium europaeum is a species of heliotrope known by the common names European heliotrope and European turn-sole . It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but it is widely naturalized elsewhere, such as in Australia and North America. It grows as a roadside weed in some places. This is an annual herb growing from a taproot and reaching maximum heights near 40 centimeters. The stem and oval-shaped leaves are covered in soft hairs. The inflorescences...
Photo: anonymous, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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