You know, Sue...I keep looking at that plant and my first thought was also echium...e. pininana, but I've grown that and something about the leaves just doesn't seem quite right. There is a house a block away with a small stand of these and I pass it all the time, seems as though I would surely have noticed them when in flower if it's e. pininana, but......that's also the only possibility that I come up with, thanks..