‘Pride of Madeira’ Echium candicans
Few plants stop people in their tracks quite like Echium candicans ‘Pride of Madeira’ – a theatrical delight of the late spring to summer garden. It throws up magnificent indigo-blue flower spikes above handsome, silvery-green foliage, creating the kind of Mediterranean drama that makes a UK garden feel instantly more adventurous.
This May, it makes a brilliant Plant of the Month because it gives gardeners something bold, different and genuinely exciting to look forward to. It is a superb choice for sunny borders, coastal gardens and large patio pots, provided it gets the one thing it really insists upon – very good drainage. Give it sun, shelter and a dry winter root run, and it can be a proper show-off of your garden.
Why This Spectacular Echium Works So Well In UK Gardens
‘Pride of Madeira’ brings something refreshingly different to the garden. It combines architectural foliage, towering flower spikes and pollinator appeal. Bees absolutely adore the nectar-rich blooms.
Remember, it performs best in full sun, in poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Rich, wet, heavy ground is not its friend, especially in winter. Think sunny slope, gravel garden, raised bed, sheltered courtyard or a large container with plenty of grit mixed through the compost. In the right position, it can reach around 1.5m to 2.5m tall and wide, so give it room to make a statement.
Once it has bloomed, it may self-seed, creating new young plants that continue the display in future seasons. It is not one for cold, wet corners, but in milder gardens, coastal locations or sheltered sunny spots, it can be utterly sensational. Protect it from hard frost with fleece, especially while young or when flower spikes begin to develop.
The Benefits Of Bringing Mediterranean Charm Into Your Garden
Mediterranean-style planting is not just about looks, although ‘Pride of Madeira’ certainly delivers those by the barrowload. It brings a relaxed, sun-baked feel to the garden, with bold structure, drought tolerance once established, and a fabulous contrast against gravel, terracotta pots, stone walls and silver-leaved companions.
It looks exotic, feels dramatic and asks for very little once settled, apart from sun, drainage and sensible winter protection. Plant it where it can be admired, because hiding it away would be just plain wrong! This is a plant for entrances, patios, coastal gardens and sunny borders where it can stand tall, feed pollinators and make the whole garden feel warmer, bolder and more alive.
Purchased your ‘Pride of Maderia’ Echium candicans? Here’s some tips on how to grow…
- Grow ‘Pride of Madeira’ in full sun in soil that is poor to moderately fertile and well-drained – highly fertile soil may reduce flowering.
- Established plants are tolerant of drought, wind and salt so make ideal coastal plants – although in times of drought, they do appreciate extra water.
- Protect from hard frosts, especially in spring when the flower spikes are beginning to develop.
- Tall flower spikes may need additional support. Touching the foliage may cause a skin irritation, so wear gloves when pruning or handling.
- After flowering, the stalk will quickly brown and die off but don’t be in a hurry to cut it down until the autumn to allow the seeds to disperse.
- If your plants are shy to bloom, try a high potash feed, and if in pots, move to a larger pot. Also keep well-watered through the summer of their first year to promote flowers in the second year.
