List Price: Our Price: $2.99 Your Save: $ ( % ) Availability: Manufacturer:Hirt's Gardens
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Product Description
General aspect and origins
Echium fastuosum, syn. Echium candicans, is also known as pride of Madeira, this plant being native to Madeira. It is an evergreen perennial plant that can reach up to 5 - 8 ft (1.50 m - 2.40 m) tall, with spikes of tiny purple-blue flowers appearing in spring.
Leaves - This Echium has evergreen lanceolate leaves, that are about 8 in (20 cm) long.
Flowers - Dense 2 ft (60 cm) long spikes of tiny purple-blue flowers appear in spring.
Culture Echium fastuosum is a showy and perennial plant, that can withstand negative temperatures down to 26°F to 24°F (-3°C to -5°C). It thus can be grown in USDA zones 9 and warmer. Also, this plant can be grown in coastal and windy conditions. Note that leaves and stems may prove slightly skin irritant. So handle with care.
Soil - This Echium requires a well-drained ground.
Propagation
This Echium is easily propagated by seeds.
Customer Rating: Summary: Need more instructions! Comment: I purchased these seeds in the spring and had to wait a long time this past year to sow them because we had a late winter! It was recommended that the seeds not be sown until the soil temps were 72 degrees. I know this plant is zone 9..more meant for a California clime, but I was told by an expert in these parts that it can and does survive in zone 7...up until a good snow dumping. My seeds did not sprout at all. Ever. None of them. I'm not sure if it was me or the seeds. Might be willing to try again, since I fell in love with this plant while traveling in Big Sur, California this year. Wish the seeds came with more specific instructions on sowing/air temps vs soil temps so maybe I could get them to grow next time.
Customer Rating: Summary: Low germination Comment: I have planted 50 seeds in GA. Only one germinated and I am hoping that it survives. Waste of time and money.
Customer Rating: Summary: So far, so good! Comment: I planted these in mid-January (So. Cal. coastal climate), and of 5 seeds, 4 sprouted after just over 3 weeks. I can't comment on the mature plant or flower color yet, since the plants are still quite small (it's mid-May, as of this review), but I am very satisfied with the little guys thus far.
Customer Rating: Summary: Low germination rate Comment: Out of 50 seeds only 4 germinated, they are growing well although they have slowed down a bit which may be the normal growth pattern for this plant.
