echium

Echiums are drought tolerant, but they do best with regular watering. In the summer months, water Echiums at least once a week. In hotter climates, you may have to water more often. During cooler months, reduce watering frequency to once every 2 or 3 weeks. Make sure the soil is allowed to dry out between waterings, and add organic material into the soil to help retain moisture. Always check the soil before watering to make sure it's dry. If the soil remains saturated, the plant's roots could rot.

Echium plants prefer growing in full sun, at least 8 hours a day. This species, 'Red Feathers', is best in areas of mild climates, where temperatures don’t drop below 40°F (5°C) and the direct sun lasts most of the day during the summer months. In cooler climates, it should be grown in an area with bright light and filtered sun. The plant can tolerate some shade, but will not flower as much if it is exposed to too much shade. In areas with unusually hot summers, provide some afternoon or morning shade to give the plant a break from the strong sun. During the winter months, the plant needs less sun and some shade may be beneficial.

For Echium amoenum 'Red Feathers', pruning should be done in late winter or early spring, when the plant is still dormant. Pruning should be kept to a minimum, only removing any frost-damaged or otherwise dead or diseased branches. Pruning can be used to encourage more compact and bushy growth of the plant, and also to remove any straggly growth. It is also recommended to take care not to prune off any of the showy flower stems.