Latin name: Onopodum acanthium
Description: The statuesque proportions of this plant are a sight to behold. The stems of this native Scotch thistle are clothed in very spiny greyish silver foliage above which, large pale-purple or occasionally white, thistle-like flower-heads appear in July and August. It is best planted at the back of a border as it can reach around 3m. Although a biennial, it self-seeds freely and so plants appear each year after year, you just weed out the ones you don’t want. The ripening seed-heads act as a magnet for goldfinches and other seed eating birds.
Hardiness: Hardy
Height: 2-3m
Position: Full sun
Soil: fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil
Water: fairly drought tolerant once established
Usage: Best planted at the back of a border or growing sporadically through gravelled areas
This post was written by:
Debbie - who has written 872 posts on My Climate Change Garden.
I am not an experienced gardener - more of an enthusiastic amateur who learns by trial and error and who is keen to "manage" the effects of shifting weather patterns on my garden.
Writing this blog is my passion and it has evolved over 12 years to inspire engagement with climate change outside our back doors, in our personal gardens and green spaces.
My mission is to fertilise and expand this platform to grow a community of global gardeners communicating about the effects of climate change on our plants and exploring how each individual can make small changes in our lives to become more sustainable.
The future of our gardens and #OurPlanet is in our hands - please plant your own seeds for our collective sustainable future.
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Thu, Apr 10, 2008
Architectural