Re: Echium fastuosum
Hi Valerie,
You are looking for what iscalled (revised name) Echium candicans ,common name,
'Pride of Madeira'related to Vipers Bugloss and Borage..
Unfortunately this one is tender and in order for it to develope into the
flowering shrub(5-8'highx5-6'wide) that it is ,it would take several years of
frost free climate(low of 40f is considered its limit)..It does not want to be
in a warm/hot greenhouse over winter either...Nor will it tolerate freezing
temps ...So you can see it is a difficult plant for the northern gardener
.Like you I saw this one many years ago and learned all I could about it before
deciding that it would be a very significant challenge to grow..
.What I find humorous is you can bet someone in the Canary Islands is looking
longingly at a plant which only does well with pronounced winters and weighing
it all out what measures (s)he is willing to go to in order to attain that
exotic something :-} and so it goes...I dont blame you for it is truly one of
the more beautiful flowers on a shrub to be found.Let us know what you decide.
Connie
lowery@teamzeon.com wrote:
> Valerie Lowery@ZEON
> 11/17/98 03:15 PM
>
> Can anyone tell me about the above-mentioned perennial? I just saw it in a
> book I bought and it is a gorgeous purple! I've never seen anything like
> it. It is described in the picture as being in a garden that overlooks the
> Mediterranean. It says that the climate is hot and humid ... reminds me of
> our summers here in KY. Also grown in the same garden is Eryngium,
> Armeria, and Echinops. Since I have these in my garden now, I wonder if I
> could also grow the Echium.
>
> Anyone know of a source? Looking on the internet didn't help me much.
> Perhaps I am not searching the right way...I just put in the latin name of
> the perennial and went from there.
>
> Val in KY
> zone 6a
>
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