Echinops bannaticus Taplow Blue

Echinops bannaticus 'Taplow Blue' is a very sculptural variety of blue globe thistle. This lovely Echinops offers globular and prickly, steel blue flowers throughout the summer, above a deeply cut and spiny dark green foliage. It is an indestructible, hardy perennial plant, a blessing for rock gardens and difficult slopes. It brings a natural touch to the garden and feeds bees. Its flowers are also very beautiful in fresh or dried bouquets.

Belonging to the large asteraceae family, Echinops bannaticus grows wild in Southeast and Central Europe, particularly in the Banat region, currently divided between Romania, Serbia, and Hungary. It is hardy and undemanding, thrives in the sun, appreciates heat, and tolerates dry, even rocky and chalky soils and can self-seed spontaneously. It is therefore the ally of holiday homes without gardeners, dry gardens, and lovers of wildflowers.

Echinops bannaticus 'Taplow Blue' is a perennial herbaceous plant that develops channelled and branching stems that can stand upright, depending on the soil's richness, from 1 to 1.50 m (3 to 5ft) in height and 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35in) in spread. They bear narrow deciduous, tough leaves in dark green with a touch of grey-blue. They are alternate, sessile, and embracing. The leaf is deeply cut, the edges are spiny, and the underside is velvety silver-grey. At the top of the branches, there are numerous small flower balls 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3in) in diameter. These are perfectly cylindrical and best observed up close to see their subtlety and finesse. Initially bluish-green, they appear to consist of multiple spikes at the beginning of flowering. Each spike is actually a bract that protects a tiny flower. These silver bracts release tiny tubular star-shaped flowers in a bright metallic blue, sometimes nearly violet. Packed closely together, the inflorescences form a cloud of small spheres that bring lightness to the borders.

Echinops bannaticus 'Taplow Blue' is a versatile plant: it fits perfectly into wild and rustic spaces, but its silhouette, foliage, and flowers are also suited for scuptural, contemporary, or rock gardens. It is an excellent candidate to bring a touch of charm to dry gardens in summer. Its stunning blue flowers go well with pastel or vibrant blooms. There are plenty of association ideas, depending on your taste. We like to combine them with sedums, California poppies, Gauras, and yarrows. Wormwoods, Lychnis coronaria, and Euphorbia myrsinites will echo its silvery tones.