Echium wildpretii or Pink Fountain belongs to the Boraginaceae family and is an herbaceous biennial plant that grows up to 3 m in height. The species is endemic to the island of Tenerife in the Canary Island, and is found mainly in Las Ca¤adas del Teide. This evergreen plant can be found as a garden ornamental but is intolerant of low temperatures. As for most Echium it is favored by bee-keepers for its high nectar and pollen content. Wildpretii is short-lived but is an interesting plant that produces a basal dense rosette of narrow hairy silvery leaves during the first year and in the third year produces an erect inflorescence between 1 and 3 m tall (50 cm). The plant blooms from late spring to early summer. The plant dies after fruiting, leaving lots of seeds. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and birds! Echium wildpretii is a very showy tower indeed. This amazing plant can grow up to 10 feet tall (150-300 cm), but 6 feet is more usual. It doesn't grow much in its first year, but concentrates on sending down a very thick tap root. The next year it grows a lot but usually they don?t flower in year two. The narrow silvery-grey leaves have a stiff texture. You can expect flowers in year three, and these are impressive and worth the wait. The wildpretii flowers from March to May in the lower regions or August in the mountains. From the centre of the Tower of Jewels rosette, grows a stately inflorescence with thousands of coral-pink flowers, which forms a thick column, sometimes up to 1 foot thick. Then the plant dies! If you have this plant, be sure to collect the seeds so you can re-sow them next spring! Hardiness zones: 8-11(-10c/15f, 4c/40f). The plant grows in the sub alpine zone of the ravines of Teide. It requires a lot of sun and is found in arid and dry conditions but is frost tolerant down to -5 §C. This plant prefers a well-drained soil, made up of 10% humus 30% sand and 60% crushed lava or pumice, and is drought-tolerant, making it suitable for xeriscaping. It is an excellent plant for; seaside garden, shrub borders and containers. Be careful, handling the plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction.