Hi, I ordered some Echium Pininana seeds and none of them germinated but this did. Can anyone tell me what it is and what it needs please as it's quite an attractive plant. Thank you in anticipation. Bill
That is definitely an Echium. It is just not performing as well as it should. It will be hard to say, exactly, which variety that it is, but it could very well be exactly what you ordered.
Normally, almost the entire Genus is considered invasive. Give it time, and it will spread and reseed. This is the closest relative to your Echium that we have an article on, though they all have almost the exact same care: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/vipers-bugloss/growing-vipers-bugloss.htm
I want to plant vipers Bugloss but will not if it is invasive.
I had to look this one up but I have answers. Viper's bugloss is native to Europe but invasive in parts of the USA.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/vipers-bugloss/growing-vipers-bugloss.htm
https://www.first-nature.com/flowers/echium-vulgare.php
Hi Please help! It’s my first outdoor Madeira I have purchased as a young plant. It has not grown all summer. The leaves are now turning pink. Should I plant in the ground and with some John Innes 3 compost? Re pot and bring inside? Leave alone for winter? I’m zone 8 and it is positioned in a drained plastic pot and placed in a ceramic pot above ground in some sun and shelters against garage.
This plant needs full sun and it may not be getting enough. Plus, when the plastic pot inside is watered, does the water drain out of the ceramic pot? The roots may be getting over saturated. You are right on the border of hardiness and could plant it in the ground with winter protection. I would not leave it in the pot over winter. Either bring it inside or plant it in the ground.
Check these articles below with your other growing conditions:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/tower-of-jewels/echium-tower-of-jewels-info.htm
This is my first planting. Could that have something to do with it? I thought the color would last from spring through summer.
Deadheading may prolong the bloom of these flowers, which are biennial. Leave some to go to seed so you always have more. These articles may help:
Here are articles with info: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=28372
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/tower-of-jewels/echium-tower-of-jewels-info.htm
Hi there, I'm new to gardening and need a little help please, I have several vipers bugloss plants in my garden and would like to see if I can get a second flush of flowers by deadheading them, but do I cut the whole flower spike off or do I just pull off the flowers on the spike. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you Alan
I couldn't find a source that said anything but "deadhead to prolong bloom," so I would cut off the spike. It would be too time consuming to pick off each bloom, plus they are a skin irritant. Here is more about them:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/vipers-bugloss/growing-vipers-bugloss.htm
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/echium-vulgare/
Hello, I bought some echium pininana seedlings a couple of weeks ago and today they were re-potted into large pots. Within half an hour though one of them started wilting and now it's been a couple of hours and its really not looking good. Any ideas on what went wrong / how I can help it?
Likely the root was damaged in some way. Nursing back to health will be a race, really. If it heals up, quickly, then it may have a chance. If care is less than perfect, then it may not.
This article is for a similar species within the genus, but the care is identical:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/tower-of-jewels/echium-tower-of-jewels-info.htm
Growing from seed, I had 4 plants and planted outside . Bottom leaves turn black and die , and there is white powdery stuff lying on upper leaves. Eventually the plant dies. I have one left. What is killing the plants? Thanks
This is definitely a fungal infection, but it looks like it could be multiple on top of each other. Downy Mildew would be one of those. They need sandy soils, and prefer a cactus mix. You may try mixing in a cactus soil mix into the planting site before planting.
I would use a fungicide on the area, or solarize it before planting again.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/using-fungicides-in-garden.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/tower-of-jewels/echium-tower-of-jewels-info.htm