Echium wildpretii
| Echium wildpretii | |
|---|---|
| |
| Echium wildpretii on Tenerife | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Boraginales |
| Family: | Boraginaceae |
| Genus: | Echium |
| Species: | E. wildpretii
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| Binomial name | |
| Echium wildpretii | |
Echium wildpretii is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae. It is an herbaceous biennial plant that grows up to 3 m (10 ft) in height. The species is endemic to the Canary Islands, and is found mainly in Las Cañadas del Teide. The subspecies E. wildpretii subsp. trichosiphon occurs at high altitudes on La Palma. The common names are tower of jewels, red bugloss, Tenerife bugloss or Mount Teide bugloss.[1] The Spanish name for this plant is tajinaste rojo.
Etymology
The Latin specific epithet wildpretii honours the 19th century Swiss botanist Hermann Josef Wildpret.[2]
Habitat
The plant grows in the subalpine zone of the ravines of Mount Teide, a volcano on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain. It requires a lot of sun and is found in arid and dry conditions, but it tolerates frost down to −5 °C (23 °F).
Description
It is a biennial, producing a dense rosette of leaves during the first year, flowers in the second year, and then dies. The red flowers are borne on an erect inflorescence, 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in). The plant blooms from late spring to early summer in Tenerife.
Uses
This plant can be found as a garden ornamental but is intolerant of low temperatures, thus some winter protection is required in frost-prone areas. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3][4] As with most buglosses, it is favoured by bee-keepers for its high nectar content.
See also
References
- ^ Bramwell, D and Bramwell, Z (2001) Wild flowers of the Canary Islands. 2nd edition. Editorial Rueda SL, Madrid, Spain ISBN 84-7207-129-4.
- ^ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 184533731X.
- ^ "Echium wildpretii". www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 35. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
External links
