Echinops ritro subsp. ruthenicus ‘Platinum Blue’

Description

Echinops ritro subsp. ruthenicus ‘Platinum Blue’

Echinops tenuifolius. This species was singled out by William Robinson as the most magnificent in its family. The foliage is the finest, being more finely divided than other and it is a stark white on the reverse. The stems also are white woolly. Flower heads start off as spiky silver balls, becoming brilliant bright blue when the flowers are fully open. On the shorter side at 60cm and flowering from July to September. The species from Southern and Eastern Europe across to Russia and China.

Echinops

EA Bowles would often recommend these plants to entomologists fro their gardens. There is nothing finer for attracting night feeding moths which can be viewed at in the dark with a torch.

In the wild, Echinops grow in grassland or particularly on dry gravelly slopes, which makes them particularly well suited to hot dry site on poor soils. The flowers dry well if cut before the flowers fully open. Removing the first flowers early can encourage a second later flush.

Although the majority of Globe Thistles are blue, there is one red species that comes from Kenya.

The Greek species, Echinops viscosus is used to produce a form of chewing gum known as Angado Mastiche.

The name Echinops derives from the Greek Echinos, a sea urchin or hedgehog, and opsis to resemble.