General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 9b
Plant Height: 80-120 cm
Plant Spread: 50 cm
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Fruit: Showy
Flowers: Showy
Flower Time: Summer
Late summer or early fall
Uses: Medicinal Herb
Cut Flower
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Stratify seeds: 3-4 weeks
Depth to plant seed: cover the seeds thin
Suitable for wintersowing
Sow in situ
Start indoors
Can handle transplanting
Pollinators: Various insects
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil

Image
Common names
  • Globe Thistle
  • Small Globe Thistle
  • Southern Globethistle

Photo Gallery
Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2014-07-19
- #Pollination - Nature is incredible!
Location: A Friend's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2007-08-08
 9:14 am. An exotic, fascinating form of blossom head.
Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2014-07-19
- An unusual flower form.
Location: My Garden, UK
Date: 2021-08-01
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark, EU
Date: 2017-07-28
Great bee plant!
Location: My Garden
Date: 2013-08-06
Location: Ray Wiegand's Nursery, Macomb, MI
Date: 2009-07-18
Location: Brownstown Pennsylvania
Date: 2016-07-23
Location: Germany
Date: 2023-07-16
Location: My 6b garden
Date: 2017-03-25
Purchased as quart palnts from Hirt's Gardens mid fall. Looks lik
Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2009-09-30
Location: IL
Date: 2006-07-25
Location: Garden 2
Date: 2013-08-03
Location: Garden 2
Date: 2013-08-06
Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2009-10-01

Date: 2005-09-01

photo by ghislain118
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2009-07-18
Location: Ray Wiegand's Nursery, Macomb, MI
Date: 2009-07-18
Location: Garden 2
Date: 2013-08-06

Photo courtesy of Joy Creek Nursery
Location: Brownstown Pennsylvania
Date: 2016-06-18
Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2017-08-19
In the main borders
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2017-03-09
Location: Ray Wiegand's Nursery, Macomb, MI
Date: 2009-07-18
Location: Garden 2
Date: 2013-07-25

photo credit: H. Zell
Location: IL
Date: 2005-09-24
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by NHJenDion (Southern NH - Zone 5b) on May 6, 2016 10:31 AM concerning plant:
    Taproot. Does not divide well. Sow seed in situ or in containers and transplant carefully. Small plantlets can be "sliced" off edges of larger plant, but full-scale division is not recommended.
  • Posted by Mike (Lower Hudson Valley, New York - Zone 6b) on Aug 24, 2014 8:41 PM concerning plant:
    Adds very distinct form and texture to the garden. Its bluish-purple globes remind me of small alliums, but this plant has a density of leaves that grow right up the stem, thinning along the way up. The foliage can look a bit tattered over time when exposed to hot afternoon sun, but it is a very hardy plant.
  • Posted by Mindy03 (Delta KY) on May 9, 2012 4:12 PM concerning plant:
    Honey bees get nectar from this plant.
  • Posted by KFredenburg (Black Hills, SD - Zone 5a) on Jun 10, 2020 1:30 PM concerning plant:
    Stiff and sculptural in appearance, globe thistle makes a bold statement in the middle of a border or at the back of one. Use it as the focal point of an island bed. If the flowers are cut before they are fully open, they can be hung upside down to dry for winter bouquets.
Plant Events from our members
AndreA33 On April 27, 2016 Seeds germinated
AndreA33 On April 20, 2016 Seeds sown
lovesblooms On March 1, 2020 Seeds sown
winter sow
lovesblooms On February 24, 2018 Seeds sown
winter sown
AtaMaj On February 25, 2020 Obtained plant
dnrevel On June 17, 2021 Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc)
Did not germinate using Winter Sowing.
dnrevel On January 6, 2021 Obtained plant
Winter Sowed on 1-6-2021. New seed from DnD Seed exchange.
» Post your own event for this plant

« Add a new plant to the database

« The Plants Database Front Page

Today's site banner is by Zoia and is called "Volunteer"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.