What to do about my Echium
By Lakeview
CA,
United States 
Hi everyone,
I have a question. Echiums grow WILD in my backyard in San Francisco. I water them and that's about it. They are now about 30 feet tall. They've lost their flowers by now. So how do I maintain them? Do I cut them down to the stump? Should I just leave them be. Help please.
Thanks
PS If I leave them and they grow alone, will they look like palm trees. (Where they can only be appreciated if you look up.)
26 Oct, 2008
Hi Lakeview. I take it that, if it is that large, it is an E. pininana or similar. In the UK we don't have your climate (Boo hoo) and it is not really possible to grow it as a perennial, it is grown as a biennial dying off after flowering. Even the smaller E. candicans is only growable in the extreme south-west (and certainly not in my N.E. coast garden). I seem to remember someone on GoY mentioning their E. pinana in the south but I don't know if they manage it as a perennial, mine actually take 3 years to flower so in this area they are triennials.
I don't know if anybody from more favourable climes can help but I thought I'd put this on (although it's not an answer) so you don't think you are being ignored. If you don't get what you want here then try a US forum. I believe there are several based in CA.
John.
26 Oct, 2008