by Matt Gibson
Take a moment to chew over the sea holly flush . First of all , just see at this delightfully strange - looking beauty . severely , just take a moment to drink in this ludicrous but mesmerizing plant . It wait like an alien ocean brute that dwell in Antarctica . It attend like a blue raspberry jade a spiky ballet skirt — a Christmas danseuse . This thistle - comparable peak is a funky and enthralling addition to the garden . Like a giant sunflower or majestic yucca plant , many change of sea holly are stopper , principal of the show . If you fill a bed with sea holly and place modest flowers around the border to frame them , the result is breathtaking , or this various flower can also act as a support role .
Native to Europe and the Mediterranean , ocean holly flowers bloom throughout the summertime , generally range from 18 to 36 inches in height with a one - foot base . The sturdy , upright silvern - blue to green stems are crown by conoid in nuance of dark-green and blue , which are covered in diminutive peak and thorns and frame in by spiny bract in a horde of eye - catching hue ( green , white , violet , blue , ash gray , steel - gamy , amethyst , sapphire , and more ) .
Once set up , ocean holly requires very little care . Its thorny appearance may suggest thatgardening glovesare required when handling it , but this is often not the case . Some varieties of ocean holly are a little snatch prickly , and grabbing it the wrong way could cause a mild surface dent . However , most types of sea holly are actually soft to the touch , despite their ominous show .
Varieties of Sea Holly
Exciting new motley of sea holly flowers are discover each twelvemonth in an attempt to outdo last twelvemonth ’s batting order of hybrid . There are cool - weather loan-blend and warm - conditions hybrids of sea holly , and sealed types perform well in some zone and not others . Some varieties raise two or three feet , while others loom above the pack at six foot marvellous . With so much variety and so many newfangled addition , it ’s intimately impossible to keep an updated list of the good varietal out there . However , we can still spotlight a few of our pet , both from unexampled hybrid metal money and from the classic Eryngium varieties .
Giant Sea Holly ( Eryngium giganteum)Just like the sunflower , the giant sea holly is available in a size XXXL , and it is just as peculiar and fearsome - looking as you might opine . Dubbed “ Miss Wilmont ’s trace ” in laurels of English nurseryman Ellen Wilmont , the giant ocean holly grows up to three or four feet — and sometimes high . This cultivar is most common in a ghostly white but is also usable in calorie-free blue and is fearless in USDA zones 5 - 10 .
Sapphire Blue ( Eryngium azure blue)Growing up to two feet high and one foot wide , the lazuline blue sea holly mixed bag has been a nurseryman favourite for X . The sapphire blue variety is intrepid in USDA zone 5 - 9 and boasts intensely vivacious steely blue flowerheads . The upper leave and stalk are also infused with the same ice gamy shade as the bloom themselves .
Rattlesnake Master ( Eryngium yuccifolium)Hardy in USDA zones 4 - 8 , the rattlesnake skipper sea holly grows three to four feet high and two feet wide , producing one - inch white flowerheads framed by narrow-minded , spiny leave of absence in a basal little potato .
Amethyst Sea Holly ( Eryngium amethystinum)The amethyst sea holly variety hail from Italy and the Balkans , growing one to two base high and one animal foot wide . This European native is one of the most cold - brave varieties in the genus , suited to USDA zones 5 - 10.The amethyst sea holly produces spectacularly deep - hued one - inch amethyst blue flowers surrounded by ice blue two - inch bracts that sit atop silvery blue stems .
Jade Frost Sea Holly ( Eryngium planum)The jade frost variety of ocean holly has pink veins and margin as well as variegated , or multicolored , leaves . Growing one and a half to two and a half human foot tall and one to one and a half feet wide in USDA zones 5 - 8 , the jade Robert Frost variety produces violet blue flowerheads with blue - greenish bracts atop violet - blue stem that fade to green from top to bottom . Jade frost is a dandy example of the unparalleled varieties nurseryman have come to apprise due to genetic breeding .
Blue Hobbit Sea Holly ( Eryngium planum)The blue hobbit is one of many varieties of sea holly that were bred to create more dwarf - sized alternative . Growing only six inches to a foot high and six inches to a foot wide , this tiny sea holly bring about purplish - gentle bloom of youth with a taking into custody of dismal - fleeceable bracts from July to September . It tends to produce flowers rather profusely in the summertime ( especially if deadheaded regularly ) , then slows but continues produce into the fall in USDA zone 4 - 8 .
Growing Conditions for Sea Holly
Sea holly is one of the easiest perennial to give care for , as these peak are native to abrasive areas , such as grasslands , rocky plains , and coasts . Though there is definitely a spectrum of preferred conditions among the many different varieties , all sea hollies thrive in full Sunday with moist , well - debilitate soil . ocean hollies prefer a sandlike soil , but their long taproot permit them to bear drouth as well as divers , even piteous , soil condition . Because of the foresighted taproot , gardeners should plant ocean hollies in a lasting locating , and be aware that they will not transfer well .
How To Plant Sea Holly
Though you could sow come forthwith into the garden in the fall , do n’t be surprised if your sea holly does n’t bloom during the first spring , particularly if you did n’t stratify the seeds . Sea holly grows best when you plant the seedlings , though this can be a challenge . Growing from young plants is only really possible when the plants are very untested due to their recollective taproot , which is why you ’ll rarely see seedling in nurseries . If you ’re lucky enough to obtain them , place seedling into pickle that are several inches wider and deep than their current root organisation . spread from root cuttings during the spring .
Care for Sea Holly
handle for sea holly plant is very minimal . They are very tolerant of drought and do not require much , if any , additional lachrymation . Only in cases of utmost high temperature and drouth should sea hollies need the nurseryman ’s assistance in hydration . The only thing that will jeopardize your sea hollies is too much body of water , so make trusted their soil is debilitate decent , and in fount of hard rains , you may consider manually drain some of the supernumerary water from the grease .
Sea holly flowers prefer a sandy , even crushed rock - base soil , though it will adapt to just about any territory type . It ’s not a profound tributary and does n’t need fertilizer , but it does thrive in soils that are high in organic thing . If you planted your ocean holly in soil with down constitutive issue , look at eating or side - stuffing with compost around midseason to get the most out of your blooms .
The only real concern needed from the gardener to further plentiful blooming is deadheading ocean holly blooms as they commence to languish . However , when your plants near the goal of the blooming season , usually around mid to late fall , deadheading should cease . The last blooms should be depart on the radical — they will expect as good as new well into the wintertime month ( retaining their color and pattern even though they are no longer live ) , and the spent blooms will provide neighborhood birds with a courteous bevy of seeds to munch on or store for winter .
Garden Pests and Diseases of Sea Holly
Most of the issues that difficulty sea holly are due to soggy , oversaturated grease term or undue humidity . The natural fix is to plant your sea holly in loose , well - debilitate soil and choose a cheery positioning that stay comparatively wry .
Sea holly has a pretty solid defense system in home to protect itself from garden pests . The only menace known to plague sea holly is theslug . If your plants are situated in a teetotal and cheery environs , slug wo n’t be an progeny , though . bee and butterflies are draw to ocean holly , but deer and rabbit steer unmortgaged of its thorny plume
ascendent rot andpowdery mildewcan sometimes be an issue with sea holly , but again , the environment that you choose for your planting site will set your flora ’ susceptibleness to taint . invalidate radical rot by maintaining proper soil drainage wherever sea holly is planted . If powdery mildew becomes an egress ( which it should n’t if sea holly is kept wry and given full sun photo ) , handle your plants with abaking sodaspray or a Milk River sprayer .
Sea Holly for Indoor Bouquets
Sea holly is an first-class pick for arrangements despite its relatively short vase life . Though sea holly dry out up after just three day in water once cut , the flowerhead bear no obtrusive wilting or significant colour fading when it has dry out . After everything else in the arrangement has fade into dust , this thistle - corresponding , setaceous flower will keep on its full bizarre majesty . allow sea holly dry out completely ( utilise a blow dryer , if potential , to dry out the portion of the theme that was submerged in water ) , and you’re able to even continue to habituate it for next arrangement . Use compressed air from time to time to keep the dried flowers debris and debris - detached .
Check out this video for a short growing tutorial for ocean holly :
Watch this one - second video to learn about how to apply sea Charles Hardin Holley for dry out bloom arrangements and learn how to get the most out of the bouquet of your ocean holly :
This picture is full of merriment fact about ocean holly from an experienced gardener :
Want to Learn More About Sea Holly?
Better Homes & Gardens covers Sea HollyGardening experience How covers Sea Holly Plant Care : How To Grow A Sea Holly PlantSouthern aliveness cover Sea HollyThe Spruce wrap up How to turn Sea Holly ( Eryngium )
