Echium pininana

Echium pininana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Clade:Asterids
Order:Boraginales
Family:Boraginaceae
Genus:Echium
Species: E. pininana
Binomial name
Echium pininana
Webb & Berthel., 1847

Echium pininana, also called tree echium, pine echium and giant viper's-bugloss, is a species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae, native to La Palma in the Canary Islands, that is now cultivated in gardens of Britain and Ireland. It has naturalized along the northern California coast in San Mateo and Mendocino Counties. Its native habitat is laurel forests, where it is now endangered through habitat loss.

Echium pininana is a biennial or triennial, showing little more than leaf in the first year, but subsequently produces a dense, 4 metres (13 ft) high (potentially) flower spike that carries a dense mass of leaves and small blue flowers.

The recommendation is that the plant is suited for the southern maritime counties of England. There are, however, reports of successful cultivation in the English Midlands and Yorkshire, albeit in favourable locations. Specimens are also grown in Dublin gardens and in the Irish National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin. Although E. pininana is half-hardy in Britain and Ireland, it will self-seed to form clusters of plants, and it is suggested that by natural selection a hardier variety will emerge[2]. The plant also grows readily in North Wales where it seeds very widely. It is bi- or even triennial and most vulnerable to frosts in its first year. Because of its large leaves when partly grown, it is also very susceptible to wind damage. Hence a sheltered garden position is essential.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[3][4]

Local distribution

Areas that has the most number of tree echium (Echium pininana) in the island of La Palma are Cubo de La Galga, Barranco de Los Tilos and Monte de Barlovento.

References

  1. ↑ Santos Guerra, A. & Reyes Betancort, J.A. (2011). "Echium pininana". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2011: e.T165250A5996251. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T165250A5996251.en. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  2. ↑ "Increase Of Cold Hardiness Of Echium Pininana Through Natural Selection". December 1992. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  3. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Echium pininata". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 35. Retrieved 24 January 2018.


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