Sea Holly ‘Blue Glitter’

Eryngium planum ‘Blue Glitter’

Characteristics

Culture

Sea Holly ‘Blue Glitter’ is particularly noted for producing an abundant crop of “glittering” steel blue flower heads on heavily branched stems throughout summer. Although developed at least in part for the cut flower industry, this cultivar makes an excellent addition to the home garden.  Easily grown in dry, sandy, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates poor soils. Tall plants may sprawl, particularly if grown in overly fertile soils or in anything less than full sun. Avoid overwatering. This is a tap-rooted plant that transplants poorly and is best left undisturbed once established. Plants will slowly spread in the garden over time.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Eryngium planum, commonly called sea holly, is a coarse, clump-forming perennial that features a summer bloom of steel-blue, thistle-like flower heads on branched stems rising from a rosette of dark green basal leaves. Basal leaves (typically elliptic to oblong, cordate-based and deeply-toothed) form a rosette to 6″ tall and to 14″ wide. Stiff, branched, violet-blue stems (to 32” tall), bearing abundant, egg-shaped, thistle-like, violet-blue flower heads, rise from each basal rosette in summer. Each flower head is a spherical-cylindrical umbel that is packed with tiny, stemless, violet-blue flowers. Each flower head is subtended by a narrow, spiky collar of spiny, blue-green bracts. Summer bloom is often profuse.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Susceptible to root rot (needs dry soils).

Garden Uses

Excellent selection for sun baked areas of the landscape. Beds and borders. Effective as a single specimen or in groupings. Excellent for cut or dried flower arrangements.