This biennial has erect slender hairy branched stems and a basal rosette of foliage that forms a low bushy habit. It has oblong grey-green basal leaves and the purplish funnel-shaped flowers appear in succession above the foliage from late spring to summer.

Hardiness zones 9 to 10 

Echium plantagineum is naturally found in the Mediterranean region, England, northern Africa and the Canary Islands growing in meadows, pastures or disturbed soils from sea level to an altitude of 1200 m (3,600 ft). 

It prefers an open sunny position and grows in most well-drained moist to dry, moderately fertile soils and is pH adaptable and is  frost and drought tolerant.  

Paterson's Curse is grown In european gardens is planted along herbaceous borders or used as a container specimen. It is not normally cultivated as an ornamental plant due to its weed potential and is suitable for coastal and inland regions establishing in one season but a short lived. ID 3675

Note:
During the 1880s it was introduced into Australia by Jane Patterson as a colourful ornamental but soon escaped and has become a noxious weed. 

Echium (EE-kee-um)    plantagineum (PLAN-tah-jee-NAY-um)

Boraginaceae (BOR-ah-jin-AY-see-ee)
Lungwort