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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2007 18:33:25 GMT
Hi all ... I've just been given a few babies of this truly spectacular plant ;D and want to make sure I give them the very best start in life ... any tips? Cheers ...
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Post by andy on Jun 16, 2007 6:57:23 GMT
Throw them on the compost heap !!!!! ;D
Not one of my faves although they can look spectacular. I think they're as hard as nails and will certainly get to 10' so might require staking.
They will seed all over the place too so you'll have plenty for future generations.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2007 14:14:37 GMT
Thanks, Andy - 'hard as nails', sounds good ;D
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2007 21:40:57 GMT
I planted one just before 'the rains' began and I'm afraid it wasn't hard as nails and is now dead! Very disappointed, I was really looking forward to seeing it grow. It would be worth making sure your soil conditions are what it likes - I'm wondering whether it was just too damp for it where it was in my garden.
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Post by JennyWrenn on Jul 15, 2007 7:57:20 GMT
This plant needs well drained soil; I know this cos I have wet waterlogged clay and I did think of getting one of these; but from past experience didnt  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2007 11:04:13 GMT
The two that I planted out have survived the rain so far; one in quite a boggy position and one in very well drained but poor soil next to a gravel trench drain. I first saw these a couple of months ago in a spectacular garden ... and realised that they self-seeded because the garden next door was a haven of dandelions, nettles, old beer cans ... and a couple of these beauties! I have two 'spares' in the mini-GH just in case. I was with a friend when I first saw these and went 'Ooooh! Must have' ... she was subsequently visiting a friend who had them - neither of us had ever seen it before - she said what's that? and he pulled up a few babies ... cheers ...
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Post by jean on Jul 15, 2007 18:08:53 GMT
CC they grow like weeds in the Channel Islands and manage in very poor soil locations so maybe that is the answer. Had one that I gave lots of tlc and just before it came into flower, got blown down in a gale  Watch the leaves as they have lots of rough hairs on them and they can irritate. Just found this on the Beeb www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/11031.shtmlHope it helps you |
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 16, 2007 12:37:55 GMT
They look amazing and I think I've seen them in Portugal when on hols. Would love some but would not suit my garden as we are very open to the wind too. Have enough probs supporting Hollyhock Hope your babies do well CC  keep us posted |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2007 14:00:59 GMT
Hi all,
both Echiums are doing very well and I'm hoping for flowers next year ... but here's my query: I know that they flower in May/June. What happens then? Do the plants continue for a couple of months, or do they die off immediately? The reason I'm asking is I was thinking of planting some kind of a climber up them for later in the summer, so as to keep the height and some colour going ... any ideas? ... cheers ...
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Oct 2, 2007 16:48:17 GMT
In Heligan (did I tell you I've been on holiday in Cornwall ?  ) we saw the triffid-like stems left by the spectacular pininana. I think that they're GORGEOUS...but are a bit huge for my garden ;D . They do like very well drained soil..in Cornwall you see them growing in quite rocky ground.. Once the flowers have died back the huge spent flower spikes are cut down, leaving quite a large plant...they take up loads of room and the stems looked quite woody. When we saw them in flower a few years ago on our last visit they were absolutely smothered with bees ;D I've got an echium webbii in a large pot, bought at GW Live this year. I'm hoping for flowers next year (on a smaller scale than the pininana) and we're keeping ours in a 20" pot. I've dragged the pot into the cold GH over winter as they are quite tender, so unless you have a very sheltered garden I'd think about giving your plants some winter protection. Good luck sweetie...they really are splendid plants....looking forward to the photos. ;D |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Oct 2, 2007 17:55:36 GMT
By a lovely coincidence, I arrived home tonight to find a few bare-root plants on the doorstep - which I'm told are echiums, from a neighbour.
If this is the same plant I've admired growing by the side of the road at one end of Slapton Ley, Devon, I'm really chuffed - wanted some for years, but was never down there at the right time to collect seed...
OM.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2007 12:36:47 GMT
Thanks Cheery ... I don't think they'll need winter protection here, but I'll definitely plan for a climber after the flower spike dies ... I'm thinking purple Cobea Scandens (sp.) .... OM, what a nice gift to find on your doorstep ;D ... cheers ...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2008 16:48:53 GMT
How are yours doing, OM? My two babies are now well over 1 metre tall, and around the same across. I showed OH and small person a picture of a fully grown one in this week's edition of Garden Answers, telling them that's what we'll have come May/June. Their uniform response was 'yeah, right', so now I have something to prove ;D ... cheers ...
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jan 7, 2008 20:40:10 GMT
How are yours doing, OM? My two babies are now well over 1 metre tall, and around the same across. I showed OH and small person a picture of a fully grown one in this week's edition of Garden Answers, telling them that's what we'll have come May/June. Their uniform response was 'yeah, right', so now I have something to prove ;D ... cheers ... Here they are CC, thanks for asking:  the three largest are the bare-roots (biggest getting on for 3 foot or so) and the little one on the right is the pot-grown 'reserve' supplied by the same neighbour when it looked like the others might fail. In fact, they've revived really well, and I'm hoping for a stunning little corner... OM |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2008 13:58:39 GMT
They're thriving OM ... that corner will be spectacular ;D ... cheers ...
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Post by Auricula on Feb 2, 2008 18:15:11 GMT
They grow like weeds here but I did also manage to grow them ok when I lived in Colchester, Essex.Mind you the soil was gravelly and very well drained -.
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Feb 3, 2008 16:03:05 GMT
I've managed to acquire a pininana in a pot ;D It's looking more like a palm tree atm...and I think that it needs to go in the ground...I'll have to wait until after the frosts tho...would you advise just putting it in a great big pot? with a small garden that's constantly being changed about I'm reluctant to plant an invasive plant that big...any suggestions?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2008 17:19:06 GMT
Hi Cheery ... I think it could blow over in a pot, especially as it reaches full size - so I'd put it in the ground. The seedlings are very distinctive, and I understand that they're quite easy to pull up. My two are looking like very nibbled palm trees atm (caterpillar damage ) ... cheers ... |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Feb 10, 2008 18:43:58 GMT
The one we have in the (unheated) GH is about 18" tall with a lovely rosette of leaves on top. OH wants to plant it in the flower border in the corner near the conservatory...it's very sheltered there with a wooden fence behind it. Can anyone advise me when it would be OK to plant it?...I'm rather hoping it might flower if it has room to flex it's toes....we have a webbii as well that is in a slightly larger pot...and that's got new growth forming all the way up the stem  ....I was planning to keep that one in an enormous pot as the foliage isn't as pretty as the pininana...I'm rambling...any advice would be most welcome.... Yours faithfully Worried of Leicester  |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Feb 11, 2008 18:00:25 GMT
The one we have in the (unheated) GH is about 18" tall with a lovely rosette of leaves on top. OH wants to plant it in the flower border in the corner near the conservatory...it's very sheltered there with a wooden fence behind it. Can anyone advise me when it would be OK to plant it?...I'm rather hoping it might flower if it has room to flex it's toes....we have a webbii as well that is in a slightly larger pot...and that's got new growth forming all the way up the stem ....I was planning to keep that one in an enormous pot as the foliage isn't as pretty as the pininana...I'm rambling...any advice would be most welcome.... Yours faithfully Worried of Leicester Dunno about advice CPB, but I do encouragement: mine have survived low temps (though haven't had to experience frosting) so as it's an unheated gh, if your corner's frost-free, go for it! The fence might be a useful alternative to staking later. OM. |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Feb 11, 2008 18:29:14 GMT
ooer.....I might just do that OM. I won some GC vouchers this weekend and might get a plastic GH with some of the dosh...so I could pop the echium in the ground and place the GH over it 'just in case'.....we had a frost last night and expect one tonight as well....so we are being a bit cautious atm. Altho the garden is sheltered it isn't frost free by any means...Thank you for the encouragement ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2008 13:36:18 GMT
Let us know what you decide, CPB - they are gorgeous, even in the young plant stage ;D ;D Just watch out for caterpillars (although mine seem to have moved on) ... cheers ...
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Feb 24, 2008 20:12:59 GMT
I'm glad I didn't put them in the ground after all...even in the GH the leaves were quite badly scorched in the cold snap we had a few days ago. I have potted up the webbii now and it's looking a bit perkier...top dressed the pininana for now. It will go in the border when I can summon up enough courage to risk it.... Our garden isn't quite as sheltered as it was, the jolly old council have cut down some of the trees that grew behind our street on a narrow strip of wasteland.  One of the neighbours complained that the tree roots were undermining the footings of his garage....nothing to do with the 14 laylandii he has bordering his property then?....hmph. I miss those trees...in the summer it was as if we were in the countryside...now I can see the estate beyond...bum. Not a happy bunny. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2008 11:36:24 GMT
Oh dear, CPB, not surpsied at your unhappy bunniness Hope they'll recover fully ... keep up posted ... cheers ... |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2008 12:36:57 GMT
Have they perked up again, Cheery?
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Post by oldmoleskins on May 6, 2008 19:12:59 GMT
Comparing pics, they seem to have perked up no end, though it's difficult to believe they're going to make another 100% or so this year...  How's anyone else's? OM |
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2008 15:04:59 GMT
OM, my two have put on between a foot and 18 inches of lush new growth during the past fortnight - so I think there's a chance (although the ones I saw last year were already flowering around this time) - yesterday I chopped off all the bottom, caterpillar eaten leaves (VERY prickly job) ... cheers ...
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on May 11, 2008 18:15:54 GMT
My pininana is in the border next to the echium webbii....it's OK...still about 36" tall.  |
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Post by Auricula on May 14, 2008 23:20:19 GMT
My echiums are in flower and ( by chance ,as I let them self seed ) I have a spectacular candelabra one this year with 5 prongs to it |
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Post by oldmoleskins on May 15, 2008 7:21:33 GMT
My echiums are in flower and ( by chance ,as I let them self seed ) I have a spectacular candelabra one this year with 5 prongs to it What? Already? Wossit look like? We want pics!! OM. |
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Watch the leaves as they have lots of rough hairs on them and they can irritate.
keep us posted
....I was planning to keep that one in an enormous pot as the foliage isn't as pretty as the pininana...I'm rambling...any advice would be most welcome....
One of the neighbours complained that the tree roots were undermining the footings of his garage....nothing to do with the 14 laylandii he has bordering his property then?....hmph. I miss those trees...in the summer it was as if we were in the countryside...now I can see the estate beyond...bum. Not a happy bunny.