Plants by mail order since 1984, over 4100 plants online today!
6th January 2021. In line with the current government lockdown rules, Burncoose Nurseries is closed to visitors. However at present we are able to offer click and collect to local customers. This will be weekdays only, not weekends.
Mail order is continuing as normal. However please allow extra time for the couriers to deliver, once despatched from us. Sorry to say that some depots are experiencing high volumes of traffic, also staff shortages.

ECHIUM pininana
Commonly known as Tree echium
(pinnifolium) - single stemmed biennial with long green leaves and enormous spikes of purplish-blue flowers
Further Reading....
- Details
- Mature Size
- Tips and Advice
- Goes Well With
- Planting Combinations
- Other Suggestions
- See Also...
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Evergreen - bristly, elliptic-lance-shaped , silver-hairy leaves to 7cm (3in) long
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Blue - purplish blue
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Height - 4m (13ft)
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Spread - 90cm (36in)
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Herbaceous - Early in the year, typically January till end of March, herbaceous plants might be supplied in 9cm pots to ensure timely despatch. - rosette forming biennial or short lived perennial. Each rosette produces a spike of funnel-shaped flowers with large bracts
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Tall Shrub
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Tender - cool or frost free greenhouse - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen. Except in frost-free inner-city areas or coastal extremities requires glasshouse conditions. Plant can withstand temperatures down to 1°C (34°F)
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Full sun
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Partial shade - can tolerate light shade.
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May cause skin allergy or irritant - Having skin or eye contact with these plants could result in an allergic reaction, burning or rash.
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Additional Features - Architectural interest -
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Endangered in the wild - These plants are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's list of 'Red Plants'. This is a list of threatened species in the wild, they are either critically, endangered or vulnerable to extinction. - Endangered
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Good to know - dramatic, fast-growing, tall spikes from second year. Will self-seed. Attractive to insects.
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Pests & Diseases - slugs. Under glass, whiteflies, red spider mites
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Place of origin - Canary Islands.
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Flower Shape - Spikes - - 1.5-4m (5-13ft) long
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Hardiness - Half hardy (down to 0) -
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Seasonal Interest - Autumn -
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Spring
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Summer
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Winter
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Soil Conditions - Fertile well drained soil -
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Wildlife - Bee friendly -
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Butterfly friendly
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Echium - Growing Guide
- Growing Echium candicans (E. fastuosum)
- Echium pininana - Collecting Seeds - Video Tip ondemand_video
- From seedling to mature plant - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Echium - Self sown seedlings - Video Tip ondemand_video
Herbaceous Plants - Video Collection
- Dividing Herbaceous Perennials - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Spring Planting Osteospermums - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Dividing Summer Perennials - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Dividing summer flowering Hemerocallis - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Summer propagation - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Self-seeding aquilegia - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Supporting Plants - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Dead heading meconopsis - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Dead heading Delphiniums - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Feeding herbaceous peonies - Video Tip ondemand_video
4m (13ft)
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90cm (36in) |












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Buy Varieties of ECHIUM pininana

ECHIUM pininana 'Blue Steeple' >
Commonly known as: Tree echium.
Biennial producing an eyecatching spire of masses of blue flowers
Useful extras...

Fertilisers & Feeds - Vitax
Q4 Pelleted Fertiliser
A useful fertiliser suitable for use on a wide variety of plants. Q4 provides all the nutrients and trace elements essential for vigorous growth, abundant flowering and ripening of fruit.
3 options from £6.00

Fertilisers & Feeds - Empathy
Rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi
Recommended by the RHS. Contains Rootgrow™ mycorrhizal fungi. Suitable for all trees and shrubs (except rhododendrons, azaleas, heathers, cranberries and blueberries)
2 options from £6.00

Fertilisers & Feeds - Empathy
All-purpose Seaweed Stimulant
All-purpose organic concentrated seaweed feed that is a ready to use, derived from sustainable harvested kelp, that can be used on all outdoor and indoor plants, except acid loving plants.
Perfect used in conjunction with Rootgrow™.
Only £7.50