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Echium wildpretii / Tower of Jewels / Seeds

(Code: B&T_019)
£ 2.75
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Echium wildpretii / Tower of Jewels / Seeds

A great plant, originally from the Canary Isles, which is easy to grow in sheltered gardens in the UK.  The plant forms a low rosette of silvery leaves in the first year and flowers in the second year, forming a single tall and very striking 2m rose-red flower spike in spring. 


Echium wildpretii prefers sun and well drained soil, and tolerates frost to about -7°C.  The plants should be in a sheltered place or greenhouse over winter for flowering the following year.


Pack of 20 seeds.  Sow in spring/summer for flowering the next year.  Sowing instructions and a colour photo are printed on the packet.

Some parts of the plant are considered toxic.

   

See how your seeds are packed.
Hardiness Half hardy biennial (RHS Hardiness H4)
Flowers Late spring to early summer
Height Up to 2m
Spread 0.5 - 1m
Conditions  Full sun and well drained soil – protect from hard frosts
Sow

Sow in spring/summer in moist seed compost at a depth of about 5mm.   Keep at around 20°C and germination takes 1-2 weeks.  Plant seedlings into pots when they are big enough to handle.  Seeds can be direct sown in warmer gardens in late spring/summer.  Protect plants over the winter from severe frost in a greenhouse or cold frame before planting out in the spring.
Grow Plants grow a rosette of leaves in the first year and flower in the second or third year.  They are evergreen.  Plants die after flowering.  They self seed in the right conditions and grow into impressive clusters of plants that re-new themselves year after year.   If kept under glass, protect plants against spider mites.