Echinops Ritro

Description

Echinops ritro – globe thistle

Botanical name: Echinops ritro
Common names: Globe thistle
Family: Asteraceae (daisy family)
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Habit: Upright, clump-forming
Pot size: 2–3 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 90cm–1.2m tall × 60cm spread
Foliage: Deeply divided, spiny, grey-green leaves, white-woolly beneath; deciduous
Flowers: Perfectly spherical, spiky, steel-blue flowerheads on stiff grey stems in mid to late summer (July–August)
Scent: Not notably scented
Aspect / light: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained; poor, dry; drought-tolerant; dislikes wet; any pH
Hardiness: RHS H7 (very hardy, below −20°C); USDA zones 3–8
Exposure: Open, hot, dry, sunny
Native range: Species native to Europe and Asia
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Generally considered non-toxic to people and pets; note the spiny foliage

Echinops ritro, globe thistle, produces striking spherical steel-blue flowerheads on grey stems above spiny grey-green foliage in summer. Architectural, drought-tolerant and one of the very best plants for bees.

GardenAdvice notes

A bold, architectural perennial, globe thistle is grown for its remarkable, perfectly spherical, spiky steel-blue flowerheads, held on stiff grey stems above dramatic, deeply cut, spiny grey-green foliage. Tough and drought-tolerant, thriving on poor, dry soils, it brings striking form and unusual blue colour to a sunny border, is superb for cutting and drying, and is one of the very best plants of all for bees and butterflies.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring or autumn in well-drained soil in full sun — it thrives on poor, dry soils and dislikes rich, wet ground, which causes floppy growth. Ideal for sunny, gravel and prairie-style borders. Space about 60cm apart. Water only while establishing.

Care & maintenance

Low-maintenance. Cut back after flowering, or leave the striking seedheads standing for winter structure and for the birds, then cut down in late winter. It self-seeds and has a deep taproot, so remove unwanted seedlings. Grown lean it rarely needs staking. Water only in prolonged drought.

Propagation

• Division: Lift and divide in spring, though the taproot resents disturbance.
• Seed: Self-seeds readily; can be raised from seed.
• Root cuttings: Can be propagated from root cuttings in winter.

Pests & diseases

Generally trouble-free and tough. It can self-seed freely and flop in rich soil. Otherwise little troubled by pests, though aphids occasionally cluster on the buds.

Uses in the garden

Superb in sunny, gravel, prairie-style and wildlife borders, where its spherical steel-blue heads and bold spiny foliage bring architectural drama; excellent as a cut and dried flower and a magnet for pollinators.

Wildlife value

One of the very best plants for wildlife: the spherical flowerheads are absolutely alive with bees and butterflies in summer, and the seedheads feed birds in autumn.

Toxicity & safety

Globe thistle is generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets, though the foliage is spiny, so site it where people won’t brush against it.

GardenAdvice tip

Globe thistle is a magnificent, architectural plant and an absolute magnet for bees and butterflies — its steel-blue globes literally hum with insects in high summer. Grow it lean in full sun (rich soil makes it flop), leave the seedheads for the birds and for winter structure, and be aware it self-seeds freely and has a deep taproot, so pull out unwanted seedlings while they’re young. Mind the spiny leaves.

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