Echium

Question

Can echium grow in Northern Virginia, Alexandria, to be exact? I don’t remember ever seeing the plant and ran across it in Better Homes and Gardens September 2016 issue.

Thank you,
Pat Tierney

Answer 1

Echium vulgare (Viper's bugloss) is hardy from zones 3 to 11, so it will be happy in Virginia or nearly everywhere else in the continental US. There are several other species in the Echium genus that will also do well in your location, but the tropical species probably wouldn't make it through the winter.