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Great Design Plant: Globe Thistle
Trot out globe thistle in a sun-drenched garden spot for strikingly sculptural blue flowers through October
Houzz Contributor. I am a landscape/garden designer, garden coach, writer, and public speaker with over 25 years of professional experience creating beautiful outdoor environments that are lifestyle friendly and Colorado "green". Please contact me at jhcstudios@yahoo.com if you would like more information about my services.
Houzz Contributor. I am a landscape/garden designer, garden coach, writer,... More »
Globe thistle (Echinops rito) is a plant with star power; put it on center stage in your garden and it won’t disappoint. An herbaceous perennial native to central and eastern Europe and central Asia, it is well adapted to many regions of the U.S. It’s a dramatic, sculptural plant that features beautifully shaped bicolor foliage and striking blue flowers. Globe thistle blooms for weeks during the hottest period of summer — you definitely won’t want to put this baby in the corner!
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Botanical name: Echinops ritro
Common name: Globe thistle
USDA hardiness zones: 3 to 9 (find your zone)
Elevation range: To 7,000 feet
Water requirement: Moderate to low
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide
Fun fact: The genus Echinops derives its name from the Greek word for “like a hedgehog.”
Common name: Globe thistle
USDA hardiness zones: 3 to 9 (find your zone)
Elevation range: To 7,000 feet
Water requirement: Moderate to low
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide
Fun fact: The genus Echinops derives its name from the Greek word for “like a hedgehog.”
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| Benefits and tolerances: Bold, architectural form; long-blooming flowers that are suitable for cutting or drying; tolerant of full sun, poor soils, heat and drought When to plant: Spring through fall Seasonal interest: Unique blue flowers July through October, peaking in late July to mid-August Distinguishing traits: Stiff white flower stems emerge from a base of large, deeply lobed, spiny leaves that are deep green on the upper surface and white and woolly below. Blue flowers form a round inflorescence that resembles a golf ball covered with blue bugle beads. |
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How to use it. Plant globe thistle as an accent plant in a perennial border, cottage garden or wildflower garden. Its coarse texture and interesting blooms stand out in both formal and informal designs. Position globe thistle where you can enjoy viewing the bees and butterflies that will come to visit. You will also want to have easy access to take cuttings for fresh bouquets and dried arrangements.
To dry the globes, cut them before the flowers fully open and hang the stems upside down.
Globe thistle will show to best advantage when it's paired with plants with contrasting foliage textures, such as daylilies (Hemerocallis spp), tall garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) and ‘Powis Castle’ sage (Artemesia ‘Powis Castle’).
Group some lower-growing plants — like sun rose (Helianthemum nummularium) or Missouri evening primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa) — around the base of globe thistle to hide the lower foliage, which can get a bit ratty looking.
To dry the globes, cut them before the flowers fully open and hang the stems upside down.
Globe thistle will show to best advantage when it's paired with plants with contrasting foliage textures, such as daylilies (Hemerocallis spp), tall garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) and ‘Powis Castle’ sage (Artemesia ‘Powis Castle’).
Group some lower-growing plants — like sun rose (Helianthemum nummularium) or Missouri evening primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa) — around the base of globe thistle to hide the lower foliage, which can get a bit ratty looking.
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| Planting notes. Place globe thistle in full sun and plant it in well-drained soil. Porous, sandy loam is ideal, but globe thistle is fairly adaptable. Plants may require staking if they're grown in a rich, moist soil. Deadhead to prevent self-sowing. |
Ideabook published on Sept. 6, 2012.
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The number one thing I've learned in over 30 years as a landscape professional is this: it's all local! Here in Colorado, I grow globe thistle in a dry, Zone 5 garden with lean, sandy-loam soil — and I've never had any seedlings (and I don't deadhead).
I would love to hear about other growing conditions that make this a great, or not so great plant, in your gardens.
If the link doesn't work, you may want to google it for your information:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/%21ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPwhQoY6IeDdGCqCPOBqwDLG-AAjgb6fh75uan6BdnZaY6OiooA1tkqlQ%21%21/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMjAwMDAwMDBBODBPSEhWTjJNMDAwMDAwMDA%21/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=stelprdb5156738&navid=150130000000000&pnavid=150000000000000&ss=110915&position=Not%2520Yet%2520Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Midewin%2520National%2520Tallgrass%2520Prairie-%2520Nature