Eryngium planum Blue Glitter (Samen) - Flachblättrige Mannstreu

The Eryngium planum 'Blue Glitter' is a perennial blue thistle species also known as flat sea holly. This variety, very interesting for its beauty and performance, quickly reaches maturity, is very floriferous, and its superb blue colour is more intense. All these qualities have been rewarded with a Gold Fleuroselect Medal. 'Blue Glitter' develops in summer, on silver-blue floral stems, numerous steel blue flowers. Its captivating colour is even more appreciated in its preferred conditions: full sun, in poor, rocky, and fairly dry soil. Graphic and highly decorative, this plant is appreciated in slightly wild areas of the garden or in a rockery. Beautiful fresh or dried bouquets can then be made with this charming plant. Sow in pots from March-April or sow directly in place from May to July.

The Eryngium planum or Eryngium armatum, called flat sea holly, is a plant from the Apiaceae family, just like celery and carrots. It is a perennial herbaceous plant by its root. Native to the mountains of central Europe, in the wild, it is found in dry and sunny places, in very well-drained gravelly or sandy soil. With an erect and bushy habit, the 'Blue Glitter' blue thistle quickly reaches about 80 cm in height by 50 cm in spread. Its root develops a rosette of basal leaves with petioles, ovoid with a heart-shaped base, thick, serrated, dark green, shiny, and persistent in winter. Tall dark blue-gray, branched stems, adorned with a few small spiny and petioleless leaves, rise from the basal rosettes. Flowering occurs in June-July, at the end of these branches. It takes the form of oval inflorescences 2 cm in diameter, composed of a multitude of tiny azure blue flowers, surrounded at the base by thin serrated bracts of the same blue, with metallic reflections. This flowering attracts many pollinating insects. The Eryngium planum easily self-seeds in light and well-drained soils.

The Wild Blue Thistle does not live very long (especially in fertile and fresh soil), but naturally self-seeds where it likes it. In a country garden, its colour and design are appreciated alongside tall yellow-flowered mulleins, small annual love-in-a-mist with enchanting blue, nepetas and shrubby salvias, but also with cosmos or roses. In a contemporary garden, it looks superb with ornamental grasses. The cut flowers are splendid in dried bouquets. Note that 'Blue Glitter' seeds do not need vernalization.