PlantFiles: Pride of Madeira
Echium candicans

Am growing my echium in full morning sun to part sun in East Sacramento. It bloomed beautifully this spring (09). Am not sure what to do next with the flowering stems. Cut back, or just let grow. purchased a variegated echium today at local nursery.

I have three in my front yard but I'm having trouble keeping them all happy although they are less than 25feet apart, all in full sun, not competing with any other plant and self seeding very well. All on the same drip system (once every 2 weeks) . None the less after growing to the full 6-7 foot height and blooming beautifully for 2 seasons they begin to die back and 18 months later are done. I notice that Foster City's plants are also dying so does anyone have more cultivation information on this beautiful plant. Does it actually only live 5 years?

I started this plant from a cutting in Fall, 2005. I planted it in part shade in Spring, 2006. It grew some but did not bloom. I was very surprised that it made it thru the killer frost and has come back great this year. Still waiting for some blooms. I see it growing by the ocean on the coast everywhere, but I have never seen it here in Sacramento. I'm nervously waiting for flowers.

This plant is from the Mediterain and I have heard grow less tall in that area.
It grows very fast in my area, Sun City. It will over take a small yard in no time.
It sheds leaves which when dry make a heavy carpet on the ground that is not very attractive but does help retard weeds.The branches are woody and break easily in wind or heavy rain. It does have very beautiful bloom spikes of cobalt blue and the bees do love them as well as humming birds. I would recomend planting it where there is plenty room for it to spread. It might be good hedge.
Jean

This plant is ubiquitous in the Monterey Peninsula and grows very well in clay soil. In my area, plants have gotten to be as high as 8 feet or so. This plant comes in two forms -- one being a tight mushroom that maintains this shape as it grows. The other is sprawly, leggy, and faster growing. The conical flowers (ranging from light blue to a vibrant purple)are up to one foot long and appear usually late March and last for several weeks. These plants also tend to be shallow rooted and the branches can easily snap during flowering season, so extra care (especially on the sprawly version) and support may be a good idea. It is very hard to distinguish to two forms when they are young plants, but becomes very easy in when they get over a couple of feet tall.

The established plant may be deer resistant but I lost 4 young ones completely eaten,down to nothing, by deer.

One planted in a sunny location with regular watering. In one year, it grew 10 times bigger, lots of new branches but no flowers.

Two planted in a semi-shade location with light watering. They did not grow full but both bloomed.

Very fast growing plant- from a seedling to a large, flowering plant in just a couple years. Drought tolerant (thrived in cactus garden), but not that happy about being transplanted once large. Comes in about 6 shades of light blue all the way to a deep purple. Blooms for me, at least, in the late winter (starts mid march) and usually used up by end of April. Bees love it and plant tends to 'hum' in late March with a gazillion bees on it. Never seen one bloom in So Cal in the summer. Commonly planted shrub along some highway divisions and public landscaping. Very hard to screw up trying to grow this plant here in So Cal. Plant can grow quite tall, but most only 2-4' high.