Globe thistle: planting, propagating & caring for

In which location should ball thistles be planted? What should you watch out for when cutting and caring for ball thistles? We give tips and introduce the best white and blue ball thistle varieties.

The striking spherical thistle with its white or purple to blue flower heads immediately attracts everyone's attention in the garden. We will introduce you to the ornamental thistle, your requirements and the best varieties.

Globe thistle: flowering time, origin and properties

The different variants of the spherical thistles (

Echinops sp.) all belong to the daisy family (Asteraceae). They are therefore also closely related to the other thistles, such as the medicinally used milk thistle (Silybum marianum) or the extremely scratchy thistle (Cirsium arvense) related. One of the four most common species can usually be found in our gardens. The Ruthenian Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro) is native to the Pannonian regions, also occurs wild in Austria and is endangered there. Echinops bannaticus, the Banat ball thistle, is native to Southeast Europe. The glandular spherical thistle (Echinopssphaerocephalus) is found in southern Europe, across the Caucasus to the Chinese province of Xinjiang.

Ball thistles are completely hardy and perennial in our beds. The deeply divided and serrated, prickly, dark green leaves are typical of the spherical thistle. In spring these initially form a rosette of leaves close to the ground. In summer, long, sometimes woolly hairy, silver-white to reddish flower stalks stretch towards the sky, which are covered with a few, small leaves. The many small individual flowers sit together at the tip of the flower stalk as a round head. The petals are star-shaped and colored white, purple or blue. The flowering period of the spherical thistle begins in July and lasts until August or September, depending on the variety. Bees, and especially bumblebees, like to visit the spherical thistle and collect nectar and pollen there. Further bee-friendly perennials we have compiled for you in our special article.

Ball thistle varieties

The spherical thistle is available in different species and varieties, they differ mainly in flower color and height.

Blue globe thistles

• ‘Taplow Blue’: This Banat ball thistle radiates an intense blue and has many flower stalks. The variety grows to a height of 1.20 meters and can also be propagated vegetatively.
• "Blue Glow": Belongs to the species of Banat ball thistles and reaches a height of about one meter.
• ‘Veitchs Blue‘: This Ruthenian ball thistle grows to about 50 to 80 centimeters high and has a bright blue shade with a slight purple tinge. Leaves and flower stalks are hairy silver-green.
• ‘Platinum Blue’: This Ruthenian ball thistle delights us with its bright sky-blue flower color and a low growth height of 50 to 60 centimeters.

White ball thistles

• "Arctic Glow": This glandular spherical thistle forms large, white-flowering flower heads and shows a beautiful contrast with its reddish stem and silvery-green leaves. It reaches a height of up to one meter.
• "Star Frost": A pure white Banat ball thistle with flower heads on light green stems about 80 centimeters high.

Plant ball thistle

Globe thistles are easy to care for and undemanding, so they are perfect for every garden and perennial lover. Find out here which locations the unusual thistle prefers and when it is best to plant it.

The right location for spherical thistles

Globe thistles are quite drought tolerant and can withstand the summer heat even in full sun. They are also not eaten by snails and grow very well upright and stable on loose, less humus-rich, rather dry soils. The spherical thistle tends to topple over in places that are too humid and rich in nutrients. In prairie and stone beds, it forms a varied eye-catcher that goes well with other drought-tolerant plants such as Yarrow (Achilleamillefolium), Gypsum herbs (Gypsophila) or various grasses.

This is how you plant the spherical thistle in pots and beds

Perennials are best planted in autumn, so the spherical thistle can still develop enough roots before winter and does not start with the exhausting budding until next year. Ball thistles in pots should not overwinter outdoors because the risk that the planter will freeze completely and destroy the roots in the process is very high. In the bed, however, this danger does not exist, as the entire soil never freezes. The planting distance is about 60 to 70 centimeters, there should be two plants per square meter. Smaller and more compact varieties such as ‘Platinum Blue can be placed closer to 40 centimeters apart. In the first few weeks after planting, the spherical thistles should be lightly watered again and again, depending on the weather.

Ball thistle care: our tips

Globe thistles are extremely easy to care for and are rarely attacked by pests or diseases if they are planted in the right location. Occasionally you can Aphidsoccur, but rarely become a nuisance. If the locations are too moist, root rot can occur.

Cutting ball thistle: this is how you proceed

The ball thistle is easy to cut, so the scissors can be used without hesitation. Pruning may be necessary if the flower heads snap off after a thunderstorm, for example. The flowers are also cut and dried as an ornament before opening. Even if you want to prevent the uncontrolled spread of the spherical thistle, you have to cut off the faded inflorescences early on before the seeds are on their way. Mostly, however, birds nibble on the fat and protein-rich seeds and thus create winter fat. The flower stalks are always cut out at the bottom at the base. Like most perennials, the spherical thistles are cut back completely close to the ground in autumn. The roots overwinter in the ground and sprout fresh in the next spring.

Fertilize spherical thistle

Globe thistles have low nutrient requirements on the soil. On very poor soil or in rock gardens, however, the spherical thistle can also suffer from nutrient deficiencies, which is expressed in discoloration of the leaves and poor growth and flowering. Spring is the best time to fertilize perennials like the spherical thistle. We recommend a mainly organic slow release fertilizer like ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer, which is worked into the soil superficially around the plants. Soil organisms slowly and gently release the nutrients contained in the granulate throughout the season.

Propagate ball thistle

The easiest way to multiply the ball thistle is by dividing it. In spring, part of the perennial is simply cut off with a sharp spade and buried in another place. It is particularly easy for the plant to grow here because there is already a lot of root mass. In late winter, i.e. still during hibernation, root cuttings can be cut to propagate the spherical thistle. The thick roots are cut into 5 to 10 centimeters long pieces and placed in moist soil with a large proportion of sand, with the new plant then sprouting out of adventitious buds.

It only makes sense to obtain seeds from single-variety pollinated flowers that could not have crossed with other globular thistles in the vicinity. If you want to obtain seeds of the spherical thistle, you simply leave the inflorescences and watch the ripening. In October the achenes, i.e. the seeds of the spherical thistle, ripen and the inflorescence dries up. Now the seeds and heads can be cut off and dried in the house.

Is the globe thistle poisonous?

The spherical thistle is not poisonous, but an extraordinary ornament for every perennial garden. The flowers are very popular with insects and birds eat the rich thistle seeds in autumn.

The globe thistle is just one of the many insect-friendly plants that thrive in our gardens. Indigenous wild bees and other important pollinators depend on varied and species-rich planting. Our Plantura bee pasture contains over 20 annual and perennial species that produce a particularly large amount of pollen and nectar. One pack is enough for an area of ​​up to 20 square meters, which soon turns into a blooming paradise for our insects.

If bees and other insects are important to you, you can find out more about them in our article insect-friendly perennials and shrubs inform.