Description
Echium callithyrsum | Grand Canary Blue Echium
Grand Canary Blue Echium, also called Gran Canaria Taginaste Azul, Blue Bugloss of Gran Canaria, and Roque Nublo Viper’s Bugloss, is a summer-blooming, broadleaf, evergreen, multi-branched, perennial, woody shrub with lance-shaped mid-green foliage. In summer, as its name suggests, beautiful blue conical flowers emerge, and in different shades, too. And despite the name “azul” (blue) there is also a pink and a bicolor variety, of which we were lucky to grow and collect seeds from all them, so every color form should grow from these seeds. The plants are beautiful to look at, but not to touch because the leaves and stalks are armed with bristly hairs.
In their natural habitat these can grow up to 13 ft tall , but will likely only reach 5 ft or so in warmer temperate areas. Plants can be grown in a large container at home and kept in a greenhouse or covered outdoors during the coldest periods of winter months, ensuring temps don’t reach below 25 F.
Located North and NE of Gran Canaria. Barranco Hondo de Abajo, Andén de Las Trigueras, Tenteniguada, etc. Habitats include cliffs and damp and sunny slopes between 2100-4500 ft altitude.
Best to start seeds indoor with heat, humidity, and light, although they will germinate outdoors when temperatures are warm enough.
Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens.
Type: Perennial
Sun exposure: Full sun
Mature height: 4-5 ft
Mature width- 5-6 ft
Hardiness zones: 9b-11
