Pride-of-Madeira
Ratings
- This plant has a Plant Risk Evaluator rating of No PRE Rating
- This plant has been rated Limited by the California Invasive Plant Council
Description
Pride-of-Madeira (Echium candicans) is a rapidly growing evergreen shrub native to Madeira and the Canary Islands. It grows 4-6 ft. tall and as wide with long and narrow gray-green leaves. The leaves have irritating hairs, so wear gloves when handling.
In spring to early summer, large flower stalks bearing bluish-purple flowers will rise above the foliage. The flowers attract honey bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, and it is unpalatable to deer.
It often reseeds in the garden, and is generally short lived (4-6 years with some 10 years old). Very little will grow under an established Echium candicans.
It requires a summer source of irrigation inland but can escape cultivation in coastal regions, specifically near the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve and in San Diego County. In the San Francisco Bay area it can be seen growing along the coast and on Angel Island. See CalWeedMapper for its current distribution outside of gardens.
Do not plant it anywhere near natural open space. Young plants can appear thirty feet from the parent plant (Summer-Dry). Cut off the flower stalks before seeds mature to avoid having to remove many seedlings.
Why is this plant not included on the invasive plant list?
Echium candicans was considered for addition to the list in 2006 and 2016. It was not added to the nursery survey because the overall impact and risk of this plant is too low compared to other species under consideration.
More information
For more information about this plant, please see the following resources:
