ERYNGIUM. Widespread, particularly in South America. A large group, mostly of perennials, with a variety of ornamental features. The leaves are often presented in attractive basal rosettes and are variously shaped and colored. The flowers are tiny and carried in conelike clusters, often with circles of showy bracts beneath. Many are tough and easily grown, given a variety of exposures, soils and watering regimes. The following should be hardy to 10^oF or less.

alpinum ‘Blue Star’. Central and Eastern Europe. E. alpinum is the great spectacle among the eryngiums. It first emerges in spring with crowns of large, shiny, roughly heart-shaped leaves. In midsummer thick stalks rise to about 2’, each carrying several dense flower cones with 4" circles of narrow, sharply cut bracts. The bracts are silvery blue when mature, the flower cone a little darker; together they are simply stunning. This plant is best in light shade, with constant moisture during active growth. Below 0^oF.

amethystinum. A striking plant, with narrowly divided, spiny basal leaves and intricately branched stems. The floral bracts are narrow, partially cleft and spiny, the flower heads nearly round. Both bracts and flowers are tinted with amethyst. One of the most beautiful of the group for floral arrangements. It requires well drained soil and is moderately drought tolerant.

maritimum. Sea holly. This is a plant of almost otherworldly appearance. The entire body, excepting the flowers, is colored a ghostly blue-grey. It has broad, crisped and spine-toothed basal leaves, leathery in texture, which form a low crown. From this, in summer, issues stout flowering stems, up to 2’ high, topped by circles of showy, spiny bracts. These surround light blue flower heads. This is an extraordinary perennial.

pandanifolium. This would be easily mistaken for a yucca or agave when not in bloom. It has crowns of narrow, pointed leaves 4-6’ long in older specimens, bluish green in color. The flower stems rise several feet above the foliage, widely branched in zigzag fashion and bearing many small, nearly bractless floral cones. They are spectacular in floral arrangements, and provide bold features in a large landscape.

planum ‘Blaukappe’. Central Europe to western Asia. This is a robust perennial, up to 2’ (or a little more) high in flower. It has broad, thick, deep green basal leaves and sharply lobed stem leaves. Each stem is branched above, carrying many dark blue flower cones, each surrounded by a 1-2" circle of silvery blue bracts. Below 0^oF.

variifolium. Another unusual and ornamental species. It has densely clustered rosettes of nearly heart shaped, toothed leaves, with stalks a little longer than the blades. The leaves are shiny and dark green, with an attractive network of cream-colored veins. The flower stems in this strain are up to 1½’ tall and branched, carrying many grey green flower heads with crowns of glistening bracts beneath. A candidate for either the larger rock garden or middle ground of the perennial border.