Pale Globe Thistle 'Arctic Glow'

Echinops sphaerocephalus 'Arctic Glow' is a distinctive and structural perennial that offers a cool contrast to the more common blue Globe Thistles. It produces perfectly spherical, golf-ball-sized flower heads of silvery-white, which are held on sturdy, dark red stems. The combination of the white flowers and the deep maroon stems is particularly striking. The foliage is large, grey-green, and deeply lobed with a prickly texture, adding to the plant's overall architectural presence. Reaching up to 100cm, it is a robust plant that thrives in poor, well-drained soils and full sun. It is exceptionally drought-tolerant once established and is a magnet for bees, which are often found clustered on the flower globes. In the UK, it is a fantastic choice for gravel gardens or prairie-style plantings. The flower heads also dry very well for indoor arrangements. It is a long-lived, fully hardy plant that requires very little maintenance once it has found its place.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Well-drained, poor to moderately fertile soil.

Hardiness: H7 — below −20°C.

Flowering: Jul, Aug.