Echinops ritro

ECHINOPS ritro
Globe Thistle

____________________________________

Type:
Perennial

Height: 3-4' (90-120cm)

Flowering Time: Summer

Flower Colour: Blue

____________________________________

Botanical Classification:

Class:
Angiospermae (Angiosperms)

Subclass: Dicotyledonae (Dicotyledons)

Superorder: Asteridae (Daisy Superorder)

Order: Asterales (Daisy Order)

Family: Asteraceae (Daisy Family)

Genus: Echinops (Globe Thistle)

Species: ritro

____________________________________

Echinops ritro is a very useful ground-cover plant. Although it is deciduous, it quickly produces a large basal rosette of pale green prickly leaves which are grey underneath, and in late summer bears strong stems three or more feet high topped with soft steely blue spiky balls composed of many individual starry flowers each in a ribbed calyx.
These can be dried for use in dried-flower arrangements, but need to be picked before they are past their best, as otherwise they do not dry well.
____________________________________

Harvesting and Growing from Seed:

Germination:
Autumn
Outside
(5 days)

Seed Pod There is no seedpod. The flower head becomes a prickly round ball, with each individual
flower producing a stiff spiky calyx holding the seed.
Seed The seeds are smooth brown oblongs. Each separate calyx on the seedhead holds one
woody seed, so the seedhead holds many seeds.
Seedling The seedling is large, and the first true leaves are long and narrow.

(You can check the meaning of any technical terms new to you in the Botany section of the site)

Back to Plant Profiles Main Page

				Germination: Autumn Outside (5 days)
Seed Pod There is no seedpod. The flower head becomes a prickly round ball, with each individual flower producing a stiff spiky calyx holding the seed. Seed The seeds are smooth brown oblongs. Each separate calyx on the seedhead holds one woody seed, so the seedhead holds many seeds. Seedling The seedling is large, and the first true leaves are long and narrow.