Echinops ritro Seeds | Small Globe Thistle
LATIN NAME: Echinops ritro
COMMON NAME: Small Globe Thistle
Plant Profile
Small Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro) is an upright, clumping perennial in the daisy family, native to Europe and Asia. It steadily establishes a rounded crown, eventually 5-10 metres tall. Site it in full sun, in deep, fertile ground. In combination, these characteristics make a persuasive case for growing it.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the daisy family, Echinops ritro draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Species has also been studied in botany, since it is a member of daisy family, and its classification and its relationships have been examined. The practical point for growers is that this plant has been observed in gardens for so long that its behaviour holds few surprises.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Small Globe Thistle for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Ecologically, globe thistle is a generous plant of summer border. Its round, steel-blue heads feed bees, butterflies and insects, and its spiny, leafy growth gives cover, while it is a bold presence in dry meadows and borders of Europe. For a grower, globe thistle is an easy and bold perennial, and for a gardener it brings round, steel-blue heads of bloom and a cloud of bees. It takes hold quickly and asks for no special treatment from then on.
Globe thistles are architectural bee-magnets; their alkaloids have been studied pharmacologically, but their garden role is bold, drought-proof form.
Growing from Seed
Small Globe Thistle is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. Sow the seed evenly over the surface and cover lightly, using a loose, well-drained seed compost, and keep it just moist in full sun until the seedlings are well up. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
Native to europe and asia, it is naturally at home where garden conditions resemble its wild habitat. Once established, Small Globe Thistle largely looks after itself. Keep the sowing evenly moist at the start — that is the one real requirement.
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