ERYNGIUM giganteum Sea Holly ____________________________________ Type: Perennial Height: 2-3' (60-90cm) Flowering Time: Summer Flower Colour: Blue ____________________________________ Botanical Classification: Class: Angiospermae (Angiosperms) Subclass: Dicotyledonae (Dicotyledons) Superorder: Rosidae (Rose Superorder) Order: Umbellales (Umbellifer Order) Family: Apiaceae (Celery Family) Genus: Eryngium (Sea Holly) Species: giganteum (giant) ____________________________________

Eryngium giganteum is not a particularly large plant, although the 'flowers' are larger than many in the genus. They look very similar to the unrelated Teasel. The plant is fairly bushy, with stiff spiky branching stems, and a ruff of bluish-white wide, stiff bracts under the flower head.

The cultivar called 'Miss Willmott's Ghost' is widely grown, and has leaves marbled with cream. It has an almost luminous glow in the evening, making the flowers appear ghostly white in the moonlight.

The flowers would obviously make an impressive addition to a dried flower arrangement.

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Harvesting and Growing from Seed:

				Germination: Winter Outside (55 days)
Seed Pod There is no seedpod. Each individual flower produces its own seed, which is held tightly in its spiky calyx, in a domed head with all the other seeds. Seed The seeds are light brown and spiky. There is one seed from each flower, so the prickly seedhead contains many seeds. Seedling The seedling hasm tough heart-shaped leaves.