Other Names:  Echium candicans Variegata, Echium fastuosum

Description:

A rapidly growing evergreen shrub producing long, gray green leaves striped with cream; large stalks bearing clear blue flowers appear in spring to early summer; adaptable and very drought tolerant once established; a great plant for mild coastal climates

Ornamental Features

Star of Madeira has masses of beautiful spikes of blue cup-shaped flowers rising above the foliage from mid spring to early summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has attractive grayish green foliage with creamy white stripes which emerges chartreuse in spring. The narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Star of Madeira is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Self-Seeding

Star of Madeira is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Star of Madeira will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity extending to 6 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 6 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.

Star of Madeira makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.