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Plant details
The spiky leaves and bristly metallic blue flowers of this plant make it a great architectural plant for the back of a summer border. The spiny, cobwebbed leaves provide interest from spring until the blooms appear in late summer. It associates well with other tall striking late summer plants such as cardoon and echinacea or tall miscanthus grasses in an island bed. It has been given an Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which is for plants of outstanding excellence.
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Echinops
Species: ritro
Plant type: Hardy perennial
Flower colour: Blue
Foliage colour: Dark green
Feature: Attractive seed-heads, Flowers
Sun exposure: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil: Well-drained/light, Dry, Moist, Sandy
Hardiness: Hardy
Skill level: Beginner
Height: 120cm
Spread: 45cm
Time to plant seeds: April to May
Time to divide plants: September to May
Reader reviews
astaire8
Very attractive plant !
malirechen@sky.com
This plant has been most successful in our garden as an attractant to Bees, and Insect life, an attractive plant also, with along flowering period.
dinsy
i'm can't find Aquilia (Barlow Black) in the plants section, where can i find it please.
loveslillys
Aquiliga (Barlow Black) is the botanical name, you are searching in the common name section, try Grannys Bonnet? think that is what it is known as, hope this helps
loveslillys
we have this in our garden we absolutely love it! and now started planting more thistles, its definately a show stopper! would recommend it for insect lovers and butterflys i give it 5*****
maryclairy
I agree that this plant is fantastic for attracting wildlife and for providing the bees with plenty of pollen. However, I would have to take issue with the height that the plants reach as 1.2m is somewhat conservative - I have some flowers towering 6.5ft tall!
I would like to ask when the best time is to collect seeds from these plants for sowing later (although it does seem to self seed prolifically on its own!)
kathleen 2
I love these beautiful blue plants
godetia60
Iwas given a few clumps of Echinops ritro 15 years ago by a vicars wife. I noticed them in he garden and remarked how beautiful I thought they were. When I next past her house she had a big bag of them waiting for me. They are loved by the bees and the butterflies. And look loof outstanding up the top of the garden. I would not be without them now.
godetia60
But mine always grow well over 6ft tall. My husband is 6ft 2in. And they are taller than he is.
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