Echium wildpretii

In flower this is one of the most incredible sites in the plant world. Big conical towers comprising thousands of small red flowers, 1 to 3m high over rosettes of silvery slim foliage, highly attractive to bees. Hailing from the upper slopes of Mt Teide on Tenerife, this is actually hardier than E. pininana. A success in mild coastal areas/London or potted and overwintered under glass. Bi or triennial. This can be overwintered succesfully in much colder places, even through very nasty winters, if afforded an airy closh