Plant Profile: Echium wildpretii

The Tower of Jewels is a distinctive biennial plant indigenous to the Canary Islands, thriving on rocky, volcanic slopes during cool, dry summers. It can withstand temperatures as low as 25°F. In its first year, it develops a basal rosette that spans 2 to 3 feet, featuring long, slender leaves of a silvery-green hue. By the second or possibly third year, a flower stem rises to heights of 5 to 7 feet, adorned with the same narrow, silvery leaves as the rosette. In the spring, this stem bursts forth with hundreds of dark rose-pink flowers, each showcasing prominent stamens, arranged in a dense terminal spike. The flowering period occurs from late spring to early summer in its natural environment, after which the plant produces seeds and ultimately dies, yet it remains visually appealing even in its demise.

This plant is suitable for tropical gardens in USDA hardiness zones 9-10. However, with the aid of a greenhouse and a sufficiently large pot, it may be cultivated in more northern regions.