Echium

I am looking for advice from anyone who has experience of growing Echiums. I am currently growing two for the first time - E. pininana 'Pink Fountain' and E. russicum.

My questions are how easy are they to grow? How big does pininana grow in the first and second years? Does it just grow a huge rosette then grow to full height in one season, or does it steadly grow taller? And are there any problems in not flowering in a northern climate?

Is there a fully hardy Echium? Which are the most rewarding to grow? And any other advice would be most gratefully received.

I have a lamp-post just next to my frontgarden, so I am thinking that I can support pininana to a height of about 15 feet :D

 

I cant speak for Echium russicum but E. pininana is a great plant to grow:thmb: I cant give exact hights and things as I'm currently away from my books but it will grow to maybe a maximum of waist hight in it's first year and then in the second year you will get a large flower spike and growth spurt to maybe 6-10ft+ on some, there shouldn't be any flowering problems although if it does get cold where you are you should protect the growing point as it will die if it freezes

Hope all goes well:gnthb:

 

Hi Peter,I grew 4 last year as Aesculus says the first year they reach about 3-4ft with a good spread,because of their size and as a trial I left 2 in large pots in the p/tunnel over winter 2 I planted out I planted them near to shrubs were the soil is dry to give them extra protection from winter weather,the results were one in the p/tunnel died the other I planted out in spring and low and behold it flowered the spike now stands at about 6-7ft and still has flowers on it,the 2 left out all winter (occasionaly they were fleeced) one died the other was badly damaged at the growing tip,I cut this off then protected the tip with a clear plastic bottle to keep the wet and cold off it,in spring it started to shoot at the growing tip and now has several growing tips,the tips are growing into large rosets of leaves and the odd flower is developing between them,each one as the potential to form a flower but weather the main stem could stand the weight I doubt it,I will definitely keep them going I believe they self seed easily, I have started E,fatuosum this year they seem to have an intense colour but don't grow as tall.

 

Peter, I've grown a few kinds of echium, pininana is very easy to grow, but it wont take much frost, some, but minus 5C seems about the limit.
The amount of wet with the frost is also a problem, if it very wet when frosted it makes matters worse.

Russicum is a new one on me and thanks for mentioning it, I'd like to try that.
Do you know of a seed supplier?

 

Thanks for your replies Aesculus, Walnut and Pete

I wouldn't dare leave E.pinanina outside over winter. It has to be in a pot and bought undercover, so I am interested in how big it gets before it flowers. However I have been reading up a bit more on E. russicum, which seems to be very cold tolerant - but probably not very wet tolerant. It appears that I should just grow it as a biennial, and forget the fact that it could live longer. As I am already growing a number of biennials it should not be a problem.

Pete I got both lots of seeds from Chilterns, but Plant World sells quite a few (5 on 2008 but I can only see 3 this year) and I have just looked at their catalogue again and seen that 'Pink Fountain' is a pinanina/russicum cross.

E. fatuosum looks truly stunning - just seen the picture below on the net. Definately one to try. So I would be interested in how yours goes Walnut. From the size of the one in the picture, it must be truly perennial - possibly!



Any other info?

 

Thanks Peter.

I've grown Fastuosum and its about two years to flowering, but its not hardy at all and gets very spreading, making overwintering in confined space difficult.

It grows in a pot, but you need a very large one, I planted mine out eventually and it grew amazingly, but died at about the first frost.

Not a good picture but the blue colour is outstanding, I think.

 

Pete thats a wonderful picture. I am more encouraged to try.

Just Googling I found this amazing range of Echium seeds http://www.pepiniere-brehat.com/catalogue_liste.php - I presume its French - but that should not be a problem - just ask them to give the packet to a passing asylum seeker. :D