Hackelia suaveolens – Sweet Hound’s Tongue

Author: Jan Sked

Published: Journal September 2021

Pronounced: hack-ELL-ee-a swarv-ee-OLE-ens
Family: Boraginaceae
Synonym: Cynoglossum suaveolens
Derivation: Hackelia, after Josef Hackel, a Czech botanist; suaveolens, from the Latin suavis, sweet, gentle, referring to the sweet-smelling flowers.

This is an erect to spreading perennial herb to 50cm high that grows from a basal rosette and spreads by underground stems.

Leaves are mostly basal, wavy and narrow to broadly-oblong, 4-14cm long, covered in rough stiff hairs. They reduce in size up the stems.

Small strongly fragrant white flowers are held erect on leafy, branched flowering stems in spring and summer. These flower stems curve downward when fruits form.

Fruits are more or less globular in shape and covered with barbed spines that stick to clothing.

H. suaveolens is a widespread plant of moist, shaded forests and rainforest margins in all States except Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

It will do best in well drained moist soils in full sun or dappled shade, and is excellent in a container, as a rockery plant or used as a soil binder on embankments. It responds well to light pruning.

Propagate from seed or cuttings.