Fallen Tower
May 7, 2024
Our Tower of Jewels fell down this week. Last week, it was regal.. standing tall and proud, towering over the other wildflowers in our front yard.
From the googles:
“The amazing biennial can grow from 5 to 8 feet tall and is coated in the second year with brilliant pink flowers. If sheer size doesn’t impress you, the silvery foliage and prominent anthers give the flowers and foliage a sparkle when sunlight hits them…. Echium tower of jewels starts its first year of life as a grayish to silver rosette set low to the ground. In the second year, it produces a tall, thick flower spire with slightly ragged silver foliage below. The spire bursts with cerise to salmon pink-cupped flowers arranged in rows upon rows. Each of the nearly one hundred blooms have white anthers reaching out from the throat of the flower.”I’ve read that they die after their second year bloom, but set enough seeds to ensure another in its place the following year.
If ours hadn’t fallen down, it would look like one of these:
Life of Wry 
May 8, 2024 at 5:24 pm
wow! super beautiful Wonder if it can grow in LA?
May 8, 2024 at 6:05 pm
Aren’t they amazing? This is what I found for where they grown best:
“Winter hardy to USDA Zones 9-10 where it is best grown in light, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun.”
They come from the Canary Islands.
I think maybe not Michigan… :( But probably yes in LA. 🙂