Echinops

( EK - in - ops )

At-A-Glance Information

Also called Globe Thistle, this perennial flowering plant needs full sun and moderate water. 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. Bloom heads are about the size of golf balls, and are great 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. These flowers 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 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. These plants grow well in disturbed soils, surviving in poor soil and somewhat harsh conditions. Blooms appear in June and July.

Echinops bannaticus (Blue Globe Thistle)
Native to southeastern Europe, this species of Globe Thistle reaaches about 50 inches tall in bloom, and has prickly foliage. Flower heads are blue, and appear in summertime. 

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. 

Echinops exaltatus (Russian Globe Thistle, Tall Globethistle)
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. 
Echinops Hybrids
These plants are crosses of other species of Echinops, bred for their unique flower color and other attractive attributes.
'Arctic Glow'
White flowers on 3-4 foot tall stems. 
'Star Frost'
3-4 feet tall with white flowers. 
'Blue Globe'
Blue flowers top 4-foot tall stems. 
'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 Indian subcontinent and produces rounded heads of white to pale cream flowers. Foliage is spiny and light grey-green.

Echinops ritro (Southern Globethistle)
​​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.

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

Caring for Echinops

These flowers prefer average-rich, well-draining soil and moderate water. Clumps can be left undivided for years, does need to be divided eventually.

Harvesting Echinops
To prepare these flowers for addition to dried flower arrangements, cut them from the plant just before they open, and dry them upside down.

Propagation

From divisions (plant them in spring or fall), sow seeds in spring. 
​Plants are tap rooted, but mature clumps may be divided with care in early spring.

Problems and Pests

Gallery
A field of thea sinensis
Camellia hiemalis 'Shishi Gashira'

Videos

A video all about growing camellias successfully
Propagating camellias

Resources

Wikipedia: Echinops
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 297, Echinops
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