About
Cirsium 'Mount Etna' is a herbaceous perennial that reaches heights of up to 60 cm. It features deeply lobed, softly spiny green foliage. In midsummer, it produces pincushion-shaped flower heads, which can continue blooming into late summer if regularly deadheaded. The flowers are creamy white with prominent magenta-pink filaments. This plant attracts pollinators, and if some flowers are left to mature, the seed heads can serve as a food source for finches.
About the genus
Cirsium includes both biennial and perennial species characterized by their spiny foliage and distinctive thistle-like flower heads.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, South-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Prairie planting, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in full sun in well-drained soil
- Pruning
- No pruning required except deadheading to prolong the flowering season
- Propagation
- Propagate by division from autumn to spring or by root cuttings
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to powdery mildews