Tower of Jewels: Aptly Named

Let's hear it for the tower of jewels, Echium wildpretii.

Native to the island of Tenerife and belonging to the family Boraginaceae, it can tower as high as a 10-foot Christmas tree.  It's a biennial, meaning that it takes two growing seasons to complete its life cycle. It won't bloom until the second year,  but it's worth the wait. The red flowers are nothing but spectacular.  Then it dies. But if you're lucky, you'll be able to reap some seeds.

What's better than a tower of jewels? A tower of bees.  Bees love it for the high nectar content.

Grab a camera, preferably in the late afternoon, and follow the bees.