Pride of Madeira
Echium candicans, family Boraginaceae
A tall blue-flowered shrub native to Madeira, grown in gardens worldwide
Pride of Madeira is a perennial shrub from the island of Madeira, known for its tall spikes of blue to purple flowers with pink stamens. It grows up to 2.5 meters high and is popular in gardens for its striking blooms and ability to attract bees and butterflies.
- Native only to the island of Madeira
- Tall spikes of blue or purple flowers with pink stamens
- Popular in drought-tolerant and coastal gardens
- Attracts bees and butterflies
- Considered invasive in parts of California and Australia
What does Pride of Madeira look like?
Pride of Madeira is a bushy shrub reaching up to 2.5 meters, with a candelabra-like form. Its leaves are long, pointed, and velvety, dark green on top and lighter underneath. The plant produces dense, elongated flower clusters that can be up to 47 cm long, packed with blue or purple flowers, each with pink stamens and sometimes a white stripe. These blooms are highly attractive to bees and butterflies.
Where does Pride of Madeira come from?
This plant is found only on the island of Madeira, where it grows at elevations between 800 and 1,200 meters, especially in open areas and near laurel forests. It was first described scientifically in 1782 by Carl Linnaeus the Younger. Over time, it has been given several other scientific names, but Echium candicans is the accepted one.
When and how Pride of Madeira blooms
Pride of Madeira is grown as an ornamental shrub in many regions, valued for its drought tolerance and showy flowers. It prefers mild climates and needs protection from frost, thriving in coastal gardens and sunny spots. In its first year, it forms a rosette of leaves, then sends up woody flowering stems in later years.
How Pride of Madeira is used
Gardeners plant Pride of Madeira for its dramatic flower spikes and ability to attract pollinators. It is widely used in water-wise and coastal gardens. In some places like California and Victoria, Australia, it is considered invasive and is removed from wild areas to protect native plants.
Kinds of Pride of Madeira
The species is known mainly in its typical form, with blue or purple flowers. The Latin name 'candicans' refers to a white-flowered variant, though blue and purple are most common. Several synonyms have been published, but they refer to the same plant.
What Pride of Madeira means
While not tied to specific cultural traditions or symbolism, Pride of Madeira is valued for its ornamental qualities and its role in supporting bees and butterflies. In some regions, it has become a weed, prompting control efforts to protect local ecosystems.
Where to see Pride of Madeira
Questions people ask about Pride of Madeira
Where does Pride of Madeira come from?
Pride of Madeira is native only to the island of Madeira, where it grows in the central highlands at elevations of 800 to 1,200 meters.
What does Pride of Madeira look like?
It is a large shrub with long, pointed, velvety leaves and tall, narrow clusters of blue or purple flowers, each with pink stamens. The flower spikes can reach up to 47 centimeters in length.
How is Pride of Madeira used?
It is mainly grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, especially in areas that need drought-tolerant or coastal plants. Its flowers attract bees and butterflies.
Is Pride of Madeira invasive?
Yes, in places like California and Victoria, Australia, it has spread outside gardens and is managed as an invasive species to protect native plants.
Does Pride of Madeira have any special meaning or symbolism?
The sources do not mention any particular symbolism or cultural meaning for this plant.
Good reading and sources
- IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesIUCN Red List, Article
- Echium candicansRoyal Horticultural Society, Article
- Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
- Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
- Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database
- Echium candicans on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Echium candicans", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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