Echium pininana
tower of jewels, giant viper's bugloss
A dramatic addition to the garden, Echium pininana produces exceptionally tall flower spikes packed with purple-blue flowers, and towers above everything else in the border in mid to late summer. The rough, dark green, lance-shaped leaves studded along its length give it an architectural silhouette in the dying sunlight, and it is particularly suitable for an exotic planting scheme. It is a biennial or short-lived perennial and likes to be kept dry and frost-free over the winter.
How to care for Echium pininana:
Plant in a sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil, as these tall biennials or short-lived perennials dislike cold, wet conditions. Water regularly in the first year to establish, but avoid overwatering once settled.
In frost-prone areas, protect the crown and rosette with fleece or horticultural fabric through winter, as they are frost tender when young. Remove faded flower spikes once they have finished, as the plant will usually die after flowering, but allow some seed to fall if you’d like new plants to establish naturally.
In frost-prone areas, protect the crown and rosette with fleece or horticultural fabric through winter, as they are frost tender when young. Remove faded flower spikes once they have finished, as the plant will usually die after flowering, but allow some seed to fall if you’d like new plants to establish naturally.
Sowing instructions:
Sow in late summer or autumn for earlier flowers the following year, or in early spring for blooms later in the same season; it’s best started in trays or pots with a light covering of compost and kept protected over winter before planting out after frosts at around 30-45cm (12-18in) spacing, though direct sowing in a warm, sunny, well-prepared bed can work if conditions are favourable.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Eventual height:
4m
Eventual spread:
0.9m
Position:
Full sun
Rate of growth:
Average
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Borderline hardy (will need protection in winter in colder areas)
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Skin irritant
