Echium Cantabricum

Echium cantabricum, now accepted as Echium italicum subsp. cantabricum, is a rare endemic of the Cantabrian mountains of northern Spain. A strong rosette of long, narrow, softly bristled leaves develops before one or more upright stems carry dense cylindrical spikes of blue to violet flowers. The plant grows naturally in subhumid mountain grassland and open scrub at moderate elevation and is protected in parts of its range. Its bold vertical habit, abundant nectar and regional rarity make it a fascinating subject for a sunny, naturalistic border with lean soil and good drainage.