Solved Can anyone ID this exotic-looking plant?

I've always admired this plant with its blue flower spikes, which grows in a neighbour's sheltered front garden and has been there for several years. It's in a pot - would be about four foot high if planted in the ground.

I feel confident that one of you wise ones will be able to tell me its name . Must admit, I'd rather like to acquire one for myself . Many thanks in advance for your help.

 

It's Echium fastuosum I believe.
Bit too tender to survive around my way, but a really nice plant.

I think the name is now E candicans

Its fairly easy from seed and may well flower the following year.

 

Yes that's it! I will have to give it a try. Many thanks @pete

 

I think @NigelJ grows this outside.

 

Yes, I am sure that this one has lived outside in its pot for several years now, in our London microclimate. I should have said, I took the photo this morning - pretty amazing to have something like that in full bloom right now! And I'm a sucker for anything with blue flowers so really should give it a go .

 

I've tried it a couple of times and it soon gets too big for my greenhouse , but tends to die at the first real frost so it wont work outside either.
I'd have one if it would grow here.

 

@pete I grow it, in a cold greenhouse over winter and outside March to October/November in a very large pot, RHS give it as H1C 5-10°C, it's hardier than that though as my cold greenhouse is often below 5°C and it remains in leaf all year round and needs regular water. In fact this winter it might have been alright outside and if I had a spare I'd have tried it outside.
Not surprised it's surviving in London though; that's a nice looking plant @Clare G, mine is some way off flowering at the moment.
As for the name RHS have E fastuosum; Kew Plants of the World gives E fastuosum as a synonym of E thyrsifolium.
Mine last May.
Mine last year

 

@Nigel as you say I think its hardier than 5c, I did grow it in the enclosure where I have my Strelitzia one year, but it was difficult, impossible, to get it back in there the following winter, that spot is unheated but kept pretty much frost free.
I'm tempted to have another go.

 

Can you really not??? I took cuttings from a friend a couple of years ago - and kept one which has thrived in a small pot outside. It goes into the ground at some point soon. So yes - we are pretty mild weather-wise, but my friend's will have seen a bit of frost over the years (it's huge).

She says that it's important to take cuttings because they suddenly die... I'll do so!

 

I took 6 cuttings from a friend's and 5 survived... just sayin'

 

I agree that it is E.candicans. I did once flower it planted out in the garden in the Cotswolds, but not very well.
Echium candicans by longk48, on Flickr

There is a very large specimen in St.James Park near the playground (Buckingham Palace end).
Echium (candicans?) by longk48, on Flickr

 

Just to report that I found a good deal on a small specimen online and look forward to welcoming it to my garden Thank you all very much for your help and encouragement.

Also, now that @longk mentions it, I do recall seeing quite a few of them in St James's Park last summer. They seemed right at home and looked very impressive - some had reached well above human head-height.

 

I bought one of these last September , I had it in the house overwinter but still couldn't keep it going . It seemed a thirsty plant it wilted quite quick until I upped the watering , I think I ended up over watering it eventually. I'll have another go with one I shouldn't of bought it really in September , I got mine from Urban Jungle for about £15 good size plant even for a 2L pot.

 

There are a lot of Echium pinanana in St.james, as there are all over London, but the only E.candicans that I know of in St.James is the one by the playground. It has a shrubby habit unlike E.pinanana.