Echium Pininana - what to do after flowering?

[cbirksy]

Hi all, first post on forum so forgive me if it's in the wrong section.

Got some Echium Pininana (G. Viper's Bugloss) that shot up brilliantly this summer, and have lots of young plants shooting up around them.

My question is: what do I do with the massive brown spikes? My instinct is to cut it all down, as I believe the life cycle is complete, but I have no experience with this plant (we acquired with the garden when we bought the house).

Any advice appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[cbirksy]

 

[Marck]

Yes, you may cut down the stalks They have flowered and gone to seed.
Tower-of jewels (Echium pininiana; Boraginaceae) may behave as either a perennial or biennial.
If the plant does still live, new growth will be at the base.
It looks like you may have both basal branches and young seedlings to carry on this coming year.