Medium plant, to 3 feet tall. Leaves egg-shaped, pointed, toothed, nearly stalkless, alternating on the stem. Flowers large, inflated, about an inch long, nearly stalkless, blue, two-lipped, the upper lip with two lobes and the lower with three lobes. Blooms in late summer

A highly ornamental native of moist open places. Common in Wildwood in moist sites along the Riverway bikepath, along Wildwood Drive and near the entrance wetland.

The large, distinctively-shaped, blue flowers are unmistakeable. From a distance it could be confused with viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare), which also has very blue flowers; however, the leaves and flowers on that plant are very different in shape.