Plant in full to part day sun where it is drought tolerant and hardy to short duration temperatures to about 25 degrees F. This showy plant occupies a large space, so give it some room and is particularly useful in seaside gardens.

As the common name Pride of Madeira implies, this species comes from and is endemic to the island of Madeira, where it grows on rocky cliffs and terraces between 2,500 and 4,600 feet in the Central Mountain Massif. The genus name is from an ancient Greek word for the plant. It is derived from 'echion' with the root word 'echis' meaning "viper" but the reason for this has several interpretations. Included among these are the shape of the seed resembling that of a viper's head and from the age-old belief that Echium vulgare, a plant called Viper's Bugloss, was a remedy for the adder's bite. For more information on the species see our listing for called Echium candicans.

Echium 'Star of Madeira' is a cutting grown selection that was made by Lance Reiners, the Paintbox Plantsman in Albion, CA. We purchased our first 4-inch pot of this wonderful plant at the 2003 San Francisco Garden Show for $100 from vendor Lawrence Lee and it has been an extremely popular plant ever since. It occasionally sports off plants with different variegation. One particularly interesting form with lime green and gray green foliage we named 'Starburst'. 

The information about Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.