Common names:
Scarlet pimpernel, red pimpernel
Family:
Scientific name:
Anagallis arvensis
Synonym:
Lysimachia arvensis
Main flower color:
Range:
Mostly in the Pacific states, south Arizona and Texas, plus small areas of most other states (non native)
Height:
Up to 2 feet, growing mostly sideways or at an angle
Habitat:
Varied; generally open locations, and often on disturbed ground
Leaves:
Ovate, lanceolate or elliptic, around one inch long. Opposite or sometimes whorled
Season:
March to August
Anagallis arvensis originates in Europe and Asia, and has spread across most other parts of the world, including all contiguous US states except Wyoming and North Dakota. Plants are creepers, with distinctive, reddish, four-sided stems, smooth green leaves and small, five-petaled flowers. Petals are round in shape and mostly colored pinkish-orange, with a darker, red to purple patch at the base. Petal edges are finely irregular, or toothed. The green calyx is split into five thin, pointed lobes, joined right at the base. The flower center contains five yellow-tipped stamens and a pistil. Petals open fully, often bending slightly below the plane. Flowers bloom only on sunny days, closing by the evening.
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