Echium Pininana

I think the plant I've seen growing around Las Vegas is probably Datura metaloides, (innoxia) Peter.

I think as you say once a growing point gets damaged the plant is not going to flower well, I've not tried it but I think a remaining flower stem would not be any bigger if the problem happens in the winter before flowering.

As I understand it, Grand Caneria is quite lush regarding vegetation but maybe someone can help me out on this.

 

Pete - thats my mistake. I think it must have been the Datura that I was thinking of. When I read it I was surprised. And I still am. Knowing how much water Brugmansias need, I tend to give my Dats the same.

Before my last post, I did have a Google about Echiums and Madeira. Its still not that clear to me. The climate is said to be very pleasant - not too hot and with a fair amount of rain, which I can understand as its an island. However there is virtually no rain for four months in the summer - but perhaps the Echiums flower before that.

Pininana is found in Laurel forests, and the BBC site says Anybody who has been on holiday to the Canary Islands will have probably noticed the flower-heads of this plant growing out of the lush undergrowth. This implies a moisture loving plant.

 

Hi Peter & Pete, after a quick search these are extracts from Wiki;

"Its native habitat is laurel forests, where it is now endangered through habitat loss"

"The recommendation is that the plant is suited for the southern maritime counties of England. There are, however, reports of successful cultivation in the English Midlands and Yorkshire, albeit in favourable locations. Specimens are also grown in Dublin gardens and in the Irish National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin."

and these ones regarding the Laurel Forests;

"Laurisilva or laurissilva ("laurel forest") is a subtropical or mild temperate forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures."

"The laurel forest is a type of cloud forest, the cloud forests, are developed preferably about mountains, where the dense moisture from the sea or ocean, is precipitated by the action of the relief. Opposing the terrain to a front of warm, moist air mass, it forces to increase the height above sea level of that body wet and warm air mass, which cools and decreases the dew point, causing it to condense part of the moisture that falls as rain or fog, creating an habitat especially cool, saturated with moisture in the air and soil.

The Mediterranean climate is the balance between dry and warm influence of the subtropical anticyclone, hot and dry summer and the polar air stream, Antarctic and Arctic, responsible for carrying rain storms, cool wet winter. As latitude increases, this increases the impact of the storms, which in its journey from west to east, swept the western coasts of continents, dumping heavy rains as carrying high humidity. Precipitation multiply if these air masses are crossing mountains in the way. The resulting climate is wetter, but with an annual oscillation of the temperature moderated by the proximity of the ocean."


This third and fourth quote as you say suggests that as they thrive in and around the laurel forests they like warm and moist conditions as opposed to hot dry conditions??

 

Thanks Bilbo - there is no substitute for understanding the climate where plants originate. Pininana has such big leaves when its in the rosette state that it has to come from somewhere moist.

Its such a shame - we can influence many aspects of a plants growing conditions, such as water and feed, but we can't do anything about the temperature - unless you have a very big greenhouse, or move.

 

Ive just got some Echium Pininana seeds. Its a plant i wanted to try but forgot about.
My garden is very much a sun trap but we also have strong winds so maybe a plant to try against a wall??? What do you reccomend for overwintering? Move inside or wrap with fleece??

 

Floydie - it depends on where you live. Pete who lives in Kent, I believe, has grown them outside, but says that the last few winters have been too cold for that. I live in Yorkshire and wouldn't even entertain the idea of growing them outside over the winter. Fleece wouldn't do the trick for me.

I grow them in pots, which I either move inside the house over winter, or keep in a frost free (ie slightly heated) greenhouse or summerhouse. It appears that they will either flower in the third or fourth year. So you could either leave it in a very big pot outside in the third summer, or take a chance and plant it out - in the knowledge that it might not flower that year. I have one planted in the garden that is clearly not going to flower this year, so I will dig it up in the autumn and take it under cover.

 

I think you have summed it up Peter.

One other thing, its always evident fairly early, possibly March, if a plant is going to flower that spring.
Cant really describe it but there are changes to the growing point.

 

Next year - I will have to look closely and see how early I can see if it is going to flower.

 

Thanks, Im in south yorkshire, they will have to come in the house over winter then .

 

Thanks Shiney - very interesting and helpful.

I would love to visit the Canaries. Being islands and relatively isolated they have numerous endemic species.

This is a site I like, with a huge range of seeds from their plants, including quite a few Echiums. Canary Islands Plants<br>(Mediterranean Flora) --- www.rareplants.de

 

I hadn't given that a thought Shiney. - but that would make sense.

 

How strange that after mentioning this Silver Surfer (I think) mentioned the very place as a link in a thread in the ID section......spooky :D

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