Plume Thistle Pentane 'Atropurpureum'

Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum' is a must-have for the naturalistic or meadow-style garden. Unlike its weedy cousins, this thistle is a refined and non-invasive perennial. It produces tall, leafless stems topped with several deep, crimson-purple thistle-like flower heads that are incredibly tactile and soft to the touch. The flowers are a magnet for bees and butterflies. The base of the plant consists of a rosette of deeply lobed, slightly prickly-looking green leaves. It typically grows to a height of about 1.2m. It thrives in moist soils and is particularly suited to damp borders or the edges of ponds, but it will also grow well in any garden soil that does not dry out. It is fully hardy (H7). To keep the plant looking tidy and to encourage a second flush of flowers later in the summer, it is best to cut back the faded flower stems to the ground. It looks stunning when planted through tall grasses or alongside other moisture-loving perennials like Filipendula or Sanguisorba. Although it looks wild, it is a very tidy and structural garden plant.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Moist, fertile soil.

Hardiness: H7 — below −20°C.

Flowering: Jun, Jul.