About Echium wildpretii H.Pearson ex Hook.fil.
Echium wildpretii H.Pearson ex Hook.fil. is a biennial plant. In its first year of growth, it produces a dense rosette of leaves; in its second year, it flowers, then dies after blooming. Its red flowers grow on an erect inflorescence that reaches 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) in height. On the island of Tenerife, this plant blooms from late spring to early summer. It grows in the subalpine zone of ravines on Mount Teide, a volcano located on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain. This species requires full sun and grows in arid, dry conditions, but can tolerate frosts as cold as −5 °C (23 °F). As a sub-alpine endemic plant with a narrow climatic niche and small native distribution, it is expected to be negatively affected by climate change. This plant is cultivated as an ornamental garden plant. It cannot tolerate low temperatures, so winter protection is needed for it in areas that experience frost. It has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Like most buglosses, it is popular with beekeepers because it produces a large amount of nectar.
