Scientific Name: Eryngium alpinum
Common Name: alpine sea holly
Family Name: Apiaceae
Origin: Europe
Hardiness Zone: Zone 2: (-46 to -40 °C)
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Mature Size: 0.4 - 0.7m x 0.3 - 0.6m (height x width)
Habit: Spreading
Form: Mounded
Texture: Medium
Landscape Uses: Accent plant, Attract beneficial insects, Cut flower or foliage, Dried flower or fruit, Fall interest, Perennial border, Summer interest
Exposure: Full sun
Soil or Media: Rocky or gravelly or dry, Well-drained
Leaves: Simple, Basal, Soft flexible, Heavily veined, Ovate, Other, Pinnately lobed, Pectinate
Flowers: Umbel, Blue, Jun-Jul-Aug
Fruit: Achene, Schizocarp, Brown, Aug
Key ID Features:
Thistle-like in appearance; stems bluish; leaves bluish tinge with lower leaves being heart-shaped and spiny-toothed and upper leaves being palmately-divided; flower heads egg-shaped, bluish, to 5cm long, surrounded by a by 12-18 attractive, finely-divided, blue-gray bracts that extend from the base of each flower head.