One flower that is sure to make jaws drop is the
Echium wildpretii of tower of jewels flower. The amazing biennial can
grow from 5 to 8 feet tall and is coated in the second year with brilliant pink flowers. If
sheer size doesn’t impress you, the silvery foliage and prominent
anthers, give the flowers and foliage a sparkle when sunlight hits them.
This variety of Echium is native to the Canary Islands off the coast of
Morocco. In this region the weather is mild with sunny warm sea breezes
in summer and cool, but not freezing, winters. Echium tower of jewels
starts its first year of life as a grayish to silver rosette set low to
the ground and in the second year, it produces a tall, thick flower
spire with slightly ragged silver foliage below. The spire bursts with
cerise to salmon pink-cupped flowers arranged in rows upon rows. Each of
the nearly one
hundred blooms has white anthers reaching out from the
throat of the flower.
These catch the light and along with the foliage, making the plant appear to be dipped in pixie dust.
The Echium tower of jewels flower will give you years upon years of breathtaking beauty and architectural delight. Zones 8+.
Seeds found here
The hard to find Purple Milkweed (Asclepias
purpurascens) is a herbaceous plant species. It is in the genus
Asclepias, making it a type of milkweed. It is native to the Eastern,
Southern and Midwestern United States *similar to the range of the
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). Asclepias purpurascens is rare and
sparsely distributed throughout its range, and is in imminent danger of
extirpation from New England. Its prognosis is extremely pessimistic
here unless substantial conservation action is taken.
The plant gets its name from the flowers that first develop a pink to magenta color but then turn darker purple as they mature.
Seeds available here: