Scorpion tail is in the Boraginaceae family, which is known as the forget-me-not family. Borages are generally herbs, often covered with bristly hairs and when you examine the opposite growing leaves of the scorpion tail up close, you can see these hairs. Other related plants in this genus include sea lavender and chiggery grapes.

 

The scorpion tail has small, five-petal, white flowers that grow in rows of two on a curved terminal spike. The flower head starts out small and grows and unwinds as it flowers. This unwinding can produce a flower head that can be three or four inches long. This short-lived perennial can grow up to two feet tall and wide. It is said to be deciduous because it is constantly dropping its old leaves and growing new ones, even though the scorpion tail is never completely bald.

 

This plant is a great butterfly and pollinator attractant. In fact, one of its other common names is butterfly heliotrope! Please come and see us–we currently have all of these plant species in stock.