Where steel blue flower balls sway in the summer wind, it is the undemanding Echinops that act as striking eye-catchers. The perfectly round flowers give structure to the formal garden as well as fill the natural green area with life. The following answers to frequently asked questions clarify the final riddles surrounding professional cultivation.
How do I properly care for a globe thistle?
Globe thistles (Echinops) prefer a sunny location in lean, slightly moist soil. Plant them 60-90 cm apart and avoid adding fertilizer. Care includes reserved watering, one-time initial fertilization in spring, cleaning out spent flowers and pruning after the flowering period.
Planting globe thistle correctly
Echinops always produce their striking appearance when the few requirements are taken into account during planting. Choose a sunny location where you can create spacious planting pits 60 to 90 cm apart in the rather poor, marginally moist soil. Fertilizer is not added here because an excess of nutrients impairs stability. Unpot the young plants to plant them in the loose soil that reaches a maximum of the lower pair of leaves. It is an advantage to use a support rod now to protect the globe thistle from wind. A subsequently implemented support could damage the rhizome.
Care tips
The uncomplicated care program does not pose any significant challenges for the experienced hobby gardener. We have summarized all the fundamental measures for you below:
- Water Echinops cautiously to avoid waterlogging and rot formation
- Limit the nutrient supply to one-time initial fertilization in spring
- Consistently clean out withered flowers to encourage the perennial to bloom again
- Prune to just above the ground in autumn or spring
Winter protection is recommended in the first few years until the globe thistles are well established. To do this, pile up the root disc with leaves and coniferous twigs, which at the same time keeps winter moisture away from the rhizome.read more
Which location is suitable?
Echinops show a floral presence in the garden wherever it is sunny, dry and warm. The more protected from the wind the location is, the more stable it will be. Their bushy silhouette always gains in charisma when the earth corresponds to good garden soil.read more
The correct planting distance
The floral power of a globe thistle depends not least on an adequate planting distance. The individual specimens should neither be tightly packed nor spread out over a wide area. Compact varieties with a height of 50-80 cm are ideally planted at a distance of 60 cm, while the larger Echinops with a height of 80-100 cm are placed at a distance of 70 cm. The giants within the genus are arranged at a distance of 90 cm from their neighbors.
What soil does the plant need?
While Echinops do not compromise on their requirement for a sunny and warm location, they are tolerant of soil conditions. As long as the soil is largely on a par with normal garden soil, the strong rhizomes will spread diligently.
What is the best time to plant?
Spring planting makes sense for Echinops, as the perennials only develop their full winter hardiness over the years. The time window for planting opens from mid/end of April as soon as the ground has completely thawed and no more frost is expected.
When is flowering time?
Its botanical name Echinops is made up of “echinus” for hedgehog and “opsis” for appearance, as the flower balls of a globe thistle actually resemble a curled up hedgehog from a distance. The flowering period extends from July to September, with the small tubular flowers opening gradually from bottom to top along the up to 6 cm large ball. If you consistently cut off withered flower heads, this measure promotes the abundance of flowers and extends the flowering period.
Cut thistle correctly
If you regularly cut out everything that has faded or withered, the globe thistle will retain its well-groomed appearance. At the same time, you attract more flowers for a never-ending blooming season. Environmentally conscious gardeners only cut the perennial back to the ground in spring so that the plant parts that are drawn in serve as a place of refuge for overwintering insects.
Watering globe thistle
Despite their strong hunger for sun, Echinops rarely require additional watering. Under normal weather conditions, the magnificent globe thistles are quite content with the amount of rain. If the perennial is too wet, it reacts with root rot. Therefore, only water when the summer is dry.
Fertilize ball thistle properly
Echinops prefer organic fertilization in spring. Nitrogen-based complete fertilizer is less suitable because it promotes leaf growth, so that the flower balls fall behind. The perennials are much better served with guano granules or compost, optimized with a handful of rock dust. You can leave it at this one-time application of fertilizer.
Pests
Snails fortunately give Echinops a wide berth. However, this circumstance does not mean an all-clear for pests, because aphids are not deterred by the prickly flower balls. As soon as you discover the pests on and under the leaves, the classic soft soap solution is used. Add 1 tablespoon each of pure liquid soap and spirit to 1 liter of water. This mix is sprayed onto the beleaguered globe thistle every 2-3 days until the pests leave.
Wintering
For reasons of caution, the largely winter-hardy perennials receive light protection in the first few years. Cover the planting site with leaves, compost or coniferous twigs. In the best case scenario, leave the remaining plant parts over the rhizome until spring as a natural winter coat.
Propagate globe thistle
Echinops can be propagated in various ways, which place different demands on your gardening experience. The following 3 methods have proven themselves very effective in hobby gardening:
- Division of the rootstock in spring
- Removal of root cuttings in March to allow them to root in the pot
- Sowing seeds behind glass from February
The biggest challenge to your gardening skills and patience is sowing. The seeds are cold germinators that have to go through stratification in order to be put in the mood to germinate. You can then look forward to the first spherical flowers after 3 to 4 years.
How do I transplant correctly?
With globe thistles, very long-lasting perennials move into your green kingdom and prefer to remain undisturbed. After 10 to 15 years, it is still time to rejuvenate Echinops by transplanting it. Dig up the rootstock in March/April or August/September. Then divide the rhizome into two or more pieces, each with at least 2 buds. Now is a good opportunity to remove rotten and stunted root strands and trim off aging areas. Then plant the processed rhizome segments so that the previous planting depth is maintained.
Beautiful varieties
- Blue Globe: Mighty globe thistle whose blue flowers only open in August; Growth height 100-150 cm
- Veitch’s Blue: Richly flowering and compact Echinops with steel blue flowers from July to September; Growth height 50-80 cm
- Arctic Glow: A large-flowered variety whose pure white flower balls thrive above silvery-green foliage; Growth height 80-100 cm
- Taplow Blue: The hybrid impresses with flower balls in an intense blue until autumn; Growth height 100-120 cm
