Did you know that sweet thistle is a beautiful dried flower? Read here how you can dry man litter so it remains colorfast and keeps its shape. Tips for tried and tested drying methods and the best time to cut.
How to dry thistles?
Thistles dry bestupside down in an airy, shady place. Flower stems tied into a bouquet are hung upside down. Individual flowers dry on a grid surrounded by air. Alternatively, place sweet thistles in silica gel or washing powder. When drying in the oven, flower balls and leaves can become deformed.
Can you dry thistles?
The noble thistle (Eryngium) is adecorative dried flower Even after drying, the prickly beauty delights with picturesque flower heads in wonderful shades of blue from steel blue to amethyst blue to lavender. Dried sweet thistle leaves retain their spectacular shape.
Noble thistles should not be missing from the lush dry bouquet. The blue flower balls are presented decoratively in artistic dry arrangements. The dried ball flowers are often woven into bridal bouquets as a tongue-in-cheek allusion to the reputation of manly litter as an aphrodisiac.
When do you cut thistles for drying?
Thistles for drying are cut when the flowers arenot fully open. While drying, the densely packed individual flowers in the spherical inflorescence open further. Flower heads with fully opened individual flowers may fall off after cutting.
It is best to cut thistles in themorning when the morning dew has dried. Use sharp garden or rose scissors.
What methods are there for drying thistles?
It is best to dry thistles with stemsupside down. Individual flower heads dry inairy, dark locations. This is how it works:
- Tie thistles together with raffia ribbon to form a bouquet and hang upside down in a shady, airy place.
- Place thistle flowers on a grid and let them dry in a dark, cool room.
Fast drying methods
Colourfast and dimensionally stable, noble thistles dry within a few days in silica gel. The flowers are completely covered with silica beads in a sealable container. Drying in washing powder is a cost-effective alternative. The oven method is not recommended because the flowers and leaves deform.
Tip
Noble thistle named perennial of the year
In 2019, the Association of German Perennial Gardeners (BdS) named two genera, noble thistles (Eryngium) and globe thistles (Echinops), as perennial of the year. The plants delight in the perennial bed with their decorative presence, good-natured undemanding nature and robust drought tolerance. The flower heads are a valuable source of nectar for honey bees, wild bees and butterflies. In winter, birds like the goldfinch peck the nutritious seeds from the wilted flower balls.
