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Viper's Bugloss Blue Bedder

AllyblueeyesAllyblueeyes Posts: 420
in Plants
Hello everyone,

I’ve sown blue bedder and the seedlings are looking very healthy. There seems to be a difference of opinion as to whether these will flower this year.  Are Blue Bedders a hardy annual or biennial? The seed packet says hardy annual but some websites say the echium vulgare is a biennial.  Am I being very silly and is the clue in the name ‘bedder’ as in bedding?  Apologies in advance of being stoopid 😬
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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    I've never understood how this works Echium vulgare is biennial, as you say, but Echium vulgare 'Blue Bedder' is an annual. (and a dumpy little plant by comparison) 



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • AllyblueeyesAllyblueeyes Posts: 420
    Thanks Nut, dumpy will be ok in my little garden and at least I’ll get some flowers this year! 
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    the bees will be very pleased, Ally. They love it.
    I wonder if the annualbiennial difference is just about when you sow them


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    I grew some Echium vulgare from seed last year, it was by far the most visited plant with the bees, more popular than the lavender that always draws a large amount of bees too.Sorry not a good picture - too much sunshine to see the bees.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    edited April 2019
    was that grown as an annual or as a biennial, GD?
    Looks pretty fine


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • AllyblueeyesAllyblueeyes Posts: 420
    The bees are the reason I’m growing it ..... love a 🐝 x
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    It was an annual nut, in fact I didn't know what to expect but the seedlings just grew and grew into a lovely plant - I had at least 6 of them in the garden and I wasn't at all disappointed, except that after the summer had cooled down the plant disappeared (annual) and I just wish I had saved some of the seed for this year. Well worth the effort.  This is a picture below is of the biennial echium in our garden which does re-seed, so we have some growing ready to flower this year and some smaller one that will flower next summer.  Again the bees love these too.
  • AllyblueeyesAllyblueeyes Posts: 420
    Thanks Nut and GD ..... you’ve answered my question. I can’t wait to see them covered in bees!  Apparently this is the plant to grow if you want to help them 😊
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Allyblueeyes said:
    Thanks Nut and GD ..... you’ve answered my question. I can’t wait to see them covered in bees!  Apparently this is the plant to grow if you want to help them 😊
    They do love it


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    I'd love to be able to grow those huge ones like GD but they're not up to the climate here


    In the sticks near Peterborough
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