Hardy Tropicals UK

derrick wrote:I think it more 5 feet San I think I will protect this winter I have dug them up years before with no problem But last year I killed one The soil was to dry .They only take minus 5 and they go black some just don't flower or have multi growing point. I lost seven in that cold winter we had years back 2 survived all protected I hope its a mild winter . Did you get much seedlings come up in your garden this year I got more the this year than last ?

Only got the one seedling come up Derek, it was practically rooted on soil surface so i removed that and potted it up no roots snapped but it hasn't thanked me for it one bit curl over looking dead. Yes they do like water during winter if in pots but not too much only tiny amounts at a time. I use to wait till the leaves would look a bit sad then gave the water. Well done at getting the previous ones to survive Derek i have read so much online that they hate to be dug up and that it sets back flowering.

derrick wrote:My largest is near 6 feet tall have to make my mind up dig or protect

so how tall do these get before the 2 meter flower stem protrudes out the top?

This is my echium picture took earlier today before i staked it tonight, now it looks even taller but the stem has a bit of a bend on it same as last one then. Pretty impressed with this growth for a 7 month seedling.

cordyman wrote:

derrick wrote:My largest is near 6 feet tall have to make my mind up dig or protect

so how tall do these get before the 2 meter flower stem protrudes out the top?

It vary's really cordy dereks is 5ft and not flowered but i think mine started to flower a round 3-4ft on my last one. but was putting on nearly 1ft every 1-2 weeks i think it was.

Look on the first page of my echium update cordy from my one that flowered it was just over 4ft when it started. http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... it=+echium

I think Echiums are far more variable than people think. I was told they flower in their second year but that is not my experience! I purchased a 6 inch plant in spring last year, I planted it in the garden and it shot up to five and a half foot by autumn. I covered it with a 6 foot fleece bag when necessary last winter. I expected a nice big flower spike this year but instead it produced 23 side shoots!!!!!! I cut them all off leaving just the main central growing point hoping it would take off and flower, but to no avail. It grew just another 2 feet. Now at 7.5 feet I think I am going to have to put a fleece bag over it again when it freezes and hope for a mild winter.

jungle jas wrote:I think Echiums are far more variable than people think. I was told they flower in their second year but that is not my experience! I purchased a 6 inch plant in spring last year, I planted it in the garden and it shot up to five and a half foot by autumn. I covered it with a 6 foot fleece bag when necessary last winter. I expected a nice big flower spike this year but instead it produced 23 side shoots!!!!!! I cut them all off leaving just the main central growing point hoping it would take off and flower, but to no avail. It grew just another 2 feet. Now at 7.5 feet I think I am going to have to put a fleece bag over it again when it freezes and hope for a mild winter.

that would make me very frustrated

sanatic1234 wrote:Look on the first page of my echium update cordy from my one that flowered it was just over 4ft when it started. http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... it=+echium

thanks! i quite like the pruned trunk look, mines invading the lawn with its lower leaves at the moment!

I had the same with two of mine before Jungle once they go multi growing point don't seem to flower is it winter damage or just time run out ?

The self sown seedling in my garden has two growth point main and one really low down but the one really low down hasn't produced a leave all growing season but the main has continued to grow. I agree they are very varied just like all plants really not all will behave in the same way.

I certainly won't get flowers on this now. Not quite sure how I'm going to protect this.]

what is the natural habitat for these to profusely flower? long dry warm seasons?

cordyman wrote:what is the natural habitat for these to profusely flower? long dry warm seasons?

They do well in Guernsey - perhaps they just need mild winters?

cordyman wrote:what is the natural habitat for these to profusely flower? long dry warm seasons?

I always thought they were native to the Canary island's.

I had to go around with the weed gun a few weeks ago as last years flowering produced zillions of seedlings. I've kept a dozen as i've got a cunning plan for mass planting them next year.

A pic taken this morning of two. These are about 6 weeks old from tiny pricked out seedlings and now have about a foot of "trunk"..........

Did yours sulk at all arlon when you lifted them? i have a self sown and i lifted it is about the same height as yours but it keeled over straight away and there not roots snapped either. I still have it its sat sulking in the pot