Echinops

( EK - in - ops )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Globe Thistle, this genus of perennial flowering plants needs full sun and moderate water to perform well. These plants are related to Thistles, though they are much easier to grow, care for, and keep contained. They are rugged-looking, with a branching habit and distinctive globe-shaped flower heads, hence their common name. Blooms appear in midsummer and continue through the fall. Flowering heads are about the size of golf balls, and are beautiful in dried flower arrangements. Globethistles, which grow from taproots, will begin to form moderately-expanding clumps of plants that will need to be divided every once in a while. Individual plants live for between five and ten years. These plants are perfect for cottage, wildflower, drought-tolerant gardens and xeriscapes, and their flowers provide a playful quality to mixed beds and border plantings.

Echinops Species and Varietals

The genus Echinops includes 130 species and is a member of the plant family Asteraceae. These flowers grow best in USDA hardiness zones 2-9 or Sunset growing zones A2, A3 and 1-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Echinops adenocaulos (Blanche Globe Thistle)
This species is native to Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, and produces purple flowers on branched stems. Individual plants reach up to 2-5 feet tall when mature and in bloom. These plants grow well in disturbed soils, surviving in poor soil and somewhat harsh conditions. Blooms appear in June and July. This species is considered invasive in Türkiye.

Echinops bannaticus (Blue Globe Thistle, Globe Thistle)
Native to southeastern Europe, this species of Globe Thistle reaches about 50 inches tall when in bloom, and has prickly foliage. Flower heads are blue, and appear in summertime. The blooms are frequented by many pollinators, including bees, butterflies, flies, and others.

Echinops echinatus (Camel's Thistle, Indian Globe Thistle)
Native to India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, this species of Globe Thistle reaches 40 inches tall when in bloom, and produces pale purple to whitish flower heads with protruding sharp bristles. Blooms pop from December through January in the plant's native range. This species is considered weedy and somewhat invasive in certain areas of India, where it causes degradation of native grasslands.

Echinops exaltatus (Russian Globe Thistle, Tall Globethistle, Russian Thistle)
These plants are native to central and eastern Europe, and has escaped cultivation to become a wild weed in some areas of Canada and the northern parts of the United States. Individual plants reach about 5 feet tall, and blooming stems are topped with rounded clusters of white to pale blue flowers. The species is considered invasive in Eastern Canada and the northern United States.

Echinops spp. Hybrids (Hybrid Globe Thistle, Hybrid Echinops)
These plants are crosses of other species of Echinops, bred for their unique flower color and other attractive attributes. Cultivars are listed and described below:

'Arctic Glow'
White flowers on 3-4 foot tall stems.

'Blue Glow'
Blue flowers top 4-foot tall stems.

'Platinum Blue'
To 3 feet tall and 18 inches wide with steely-blue flowers.

'Star Frost'
3-4 feet tall with white flowers.

'Taplow Blue'
Bright blue flowers on 4 foot tall stems.

'Veitch's Blue'
Dark blue flowers on a 2.5-3 foot tall plant.

Echinops niveus (Snow White Globe Thistle)
This species is native to the Himalayas in India and Nepal, and produces rounded heads of white to pale cream blossoms in spring and summertime. Flowering heads are about 2.5-3 inches in diameter. Foliage is spiny and light grey-green. These plants reach up to between 30 to 40 inches tall at maturity when in bloom.

Echinops ritro (Southern Globethistle, Small Globe Thistle, Globe Thistle)
These plants reach about two feet tall when in bloom, and are native to southern and eastern Europe. Southern Globethistle has naturalized in some areas of Canada and the United States. Flowers are borne in round clusters and are a beautiful steel blue color. Blooms present in late summertime attract pollinators in droves. Leaves are prickly and greyish-green.

Echinops sphaerocephalus (Glandular Globe Thistle, Great Globe-Thistle, Pale Globe-Thistle)
These plants reach up to 40 inches tall on average, though they have been seen at as much as 80 inches tall. This species has gray, slightly wrinkled stems and sharp foliage. June through September, white to blue-grey flowers bloom in spherical inflorescences. This species is considered invasive in Canada and the United States as well as central Europe.

Echinops spinosissimus (Spiny Globe Thistle)
This European species of Echinops is about 2 feet tall and has narrowly divided leaves. Flowers are light purple to lavender or white. There are six subspecies of Echinops spinosissimus, all with slightly varying characteristics.

Caring for Echinops

Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant Globe Thistle plants have a tendency to re-seed and can also form spreading clumps, so make sure to plant them in a space in the garden where this will not be a problem. Nursery plants can be purchased, but because of their deep taproots, many nursery specimens are quite small. Echinops are more commonly grown from seed. They prefer to be grown in full sun; ideally, they should be receiving between 6 and 8 hours of sunlight per day. They appreciate a soil that is well-draining with a pH of between 5.5 and 7.0 (acidic to neutral). They like a moderate fertility in their soil; the more fertile the soil, the bushier and wider the plant will be. When grown in lean soils, plants tend to be more compact and upright. If soil does not drain well, make sure to amend it with plenty of organic material or sand before installing. These plants grow from a deep taproot, and will need a garden space that is free of hardpan layers and large rocks or debris. Water new plants regularly. At maturity, Echinops is drought-tolerant and can get by on rainwater for most of the year, with supplemental waterings during the dry season.

Each year in springtime, apply a 2-inch layer of organic compost around the planting area to improve soil structure, drainage, and nutrient load. This one feeding will be sufficient to carry the plants through their active growing and blooming seasons. Deadheading in summertime can help to encourage a second flush of growth and flowering to emerge and also limits the reseeding tendency of these plants. They will die back to the ground every year in fall, but will fully bounce back once spring rolls around again. Clumps of Echinops can be left undivided for years, though if flowering seems to be lessened or plants are not healthy, it is a good indicator that it is time to divide. For instructions on how to divide Echinops, see the Propagation section below. These flowers are long-lived perennials, able to survive in the landscape for 3-10 years on average. They freely re-seed, providing flowers in the landscape indefinitely.

Harvesting Echinops
Echinops produce very stiff, sturdy stems perfect for adding structure and interest to dried and fresh flower arrangements. To prepare these flowers for addition to dried flower arrangements, cut them from the plant just before they open, and dry them upside down. They keep some of their color when dried, adding blue or purple hues. To use fresh, simply cut flowering stems off of the plant and place them in a vase with water. These flowers have a vase life of between 7 and 12 days.

Propagation

Echinops can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Globe Thistle, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Echinops by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 14-21 days from sowing.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Echinops by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil, compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in spring or fall (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagation. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the taproot(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick taproot section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season. Echinops flowers can be a bit sensitive to being divided, and they may not flower as profusely the following summer.

Echinops seed heads are decorative, and hold many seeds.

Echinops seeds are tan and elongated.

Problems and Pests

Certain species of Echinops are considered invasive in some regions of the world. See the species descriptions above for more information, and check with local authorities before planting. Echinops are generally considered to be pest- and disease-free plants in the landscape, though they can suffer from time to time from the following: