Overview
Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' is a plant with a clump forming, columnar upright habit in the genus Echinops, part of the Asteraceae family, with deciduous foliage. Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' grows best in full sun and partial shade, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H7. Suggested uses include coastal, cottage and informal garden, gravel garden, wildlife gardens, cut flowers and flower borders and beds.
About
Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' is a clump-forming, columnar perennial in the Asteraceae that carries globe-shaped steel-blue flowerheads from July to September. Plants have deciduous, prickly leaves and hold their flower spheres well above the foliage. It suits exposed, south-, west- or east-facing sites and is fully hardy in the UK. Flowerheads are useful both for cutting and for wildlife interest.
About the genus
Echinops is a genus of about 130 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, commonly known as globe thistles. They have spiny foliage and produce blue or white spherical flower heads. They are distributed from central Asia, Mongolia and north-eastern China to the Mediterranean basin, temperate regions of Eurasia, reaching to Indian subcontinent and tropical Africa.
Wikipedia contributors, "Echinops", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Echinops
In the garden
A member of the Asteraceae, Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' originates from regions of southern and eastern Europe and further east into central Asia; it produces unmistakable globe-shaped, steel-blue flowers in mid to late summer (July to September). The cultivar forms a clump with an upright, columnar habit and bears deciduous, prickly foliage that dies back after flowering. Plant in a sunny or part-shaded spot on freely draining soil — chalk, loam or sand all suit it provided the site does not remain wet. It tolerates acid, neutral and alkaline soils but performs best where drainage is reliable; exposed sites are tolerated. In UK terms the rating H7 denotes a fully hardy plant, so no winter protection is normally required. Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' works well in gravel gardens, coastal situations, cottage and informal borders, wildlife beds and mixed flower borders where vertical, architectural heads are needed. Leave the stems for as long as required for cutting; the round flowerheads are long-lasting in arrangements and also provide late-summer nectar for pollinators.
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Echinops
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' size, habit and characteristics
- Habit
- Clump forming, Columnar upright
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Suggested uses
- Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Wildlife gardens, Cut flowers, Flower borders and beds
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue'
- Propagation
- Seed sown in seed bed in mid spring, Division in spring or autumn, Root cuttings in winter
- Pest resistance
- Aphids
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to plant Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue'?
Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' prefers full sun and partial shade. It suits exposed positions.
What soil does Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' need?
Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' is adaptable and grows happily in most soil types, including chalk, loam and sand. It is happy in soil of any pH. Aim for soil that stays well-drained.
Is Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' hardy in the UK?
Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' has an RHS hardiness rating of H7, meaning it is fully hardy throughout the UK, tolerating temperatures below -20°C.
How do I propagate Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue'?
Seed sown in seed bed in mid spring, Division in spring or autumn, Root cuttings in winter.
More in the Echinops genus
- Echinops nivalis or nivea of gardensGlobe Thistle
- Echinops ritroRuthenian globe thistle
- Echinops ruthenicusGlobe Thistle
- Echinops sphaerocephalusglandular globe thistle
- Echinops tournefortiiGlobe Thistle
- Echinops bann. 'Blue Globe'Globe Thistle
- Echinops bann. 'Taplow Blue'Globe Thistle
- Echinops exaltatus f. albus