Is this echium dead?

Julia_G

We planted this echium just under a year ago, it was a seedling, grew very fast and strong, but the recent snows seem to have demolished it. Do you think it will come back or it's done for?

The Continental Op

Sorry but yes its dead. There is a rare chance it will produce side shoots near the top and have a few stunted flower spikes which can be handy if you want more seed.

Thargor

Is it too late this year to get some Echiums going? I always wanted some ever since I came across a big one up on Bray Head completely covered in bumble bees. Do you plant the seeds yourself or get a young one from a garden centre?

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121967373#Comment_121967373

They are biennials (or really short lived perennials) so need planting the season before they flower and overwintered. Any seeds planted now will probably come into flower next spring.

The overwintering is the problem as while they will survive a light frost they end up like the one pictured after a bad frost.

Thargor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121967396#Comment_121967396

Thanks, there are a load of them high up on the Cliff Walk in Bray completely exposed to the Irish Sea and they seem to grow huge every year. My garden is in Limerick though where it basically never stops raining anymore, Im still going to give it a go though. Would it be better to start them in my conservatory or just get some seeds into the flowerbeds and see what happens do you think?

The Continental Op

Yeah, they seem to grow well in exposed conditions provided they grow directly from seed without transplanting and of course provided they don't get a hard frost on them. They aren't as resilient to wind if you grow them in pots then plant them out. We get thousands of seedlings every year but only one year in 5 do we get many through the winter and to flower.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058344595/is-this-echium-dead

I wouldn't go digging it up just yet, wait and see if it re-sprouts from the stem.

Julia_G

Thank you all. What a pity! I will leave it there for the season to see if it comes back…

We have a sheltered garden and grew this echium from a seedling. It grew very fast and it is just under a year old (well, since we planted it, I don't know how old the seedling was). We planted 4 or 5 seedlings, but only 1 survived (until the snow). Will plant a few more this season and protect them with a fleece next time.

AMTE_21

We had three huge ones last year with loads of flowers and attracted loads of bees. There are three again this year in the same spot that survived and flowers are already forming on them.

Thargor

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