Echium Thyrsiflorum

Echium thyrsiflorum is a rare shrubby viper's bugloss from La Palma in the Canary Islands. A branching framework of dark green, bristly leaves supports broad thyrses packed with small purple to violet-blue flowers in spring. The blooms are rich in nectar and become a focus for bees, while the rounded, many-branched habit gives the plant a softer outline than the towering Echium pininana. Short lived but fast growing in warmth, it makes a remarkable conservatory or mild coastal specimen. Frost and cold wet soil are its main enemies, so shelter and drainage are vital.