Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum'
(Plume Thistle 'Atropurpureum')
Family - Asteraceae
Category - Perennial
Season of Interest - Spring, Summer, Autumn
Hardiness - H7
Height - 1.2m
Width - 60cm
Location - The Cool Garden
Description: A herbaceous Perennial with a clump-forming, upright habit. Long, narrow, dark green leaves are oblong to lanceolate in shape with pinnatifid lobing and spiny-toothed margins. Many tiny, tubular flowers are an unusual shade of burgundy-pink and are held in small, thistle-like flowerheads with a purple base. The flowerheads are held in small clusters atop tall, upright stems and are produced from early into late summer. The flowers are attractive to pollinating insects and the seeds that follow are loved by birds.
Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Additional common name - Brook Thistle
Flower:
Many small, tubular flowers are a shade of burgundy-pink and are held in small, thistle-like flowerheads. The flowerheads are held in small clusters on tall, upright stems and are produced from June into August.
Flower colour: Burgundy-pink
Flower shape: Tubular flowers in thistle-like flowerheads
Flowering time: June, July, August
Foliage:
Long, narrow dark green leaves are oblong to lanceolate with pinnatifid lobing and spiny-toothed margins. The leaves are mostly held at the base of the plant with few on the upright flowering stems.
Foliage Senescence: Deciduous
Foliage Shape: Oblong to lanceolate with pinnatifid lobing
Propagation:
Division, seed.
Cultivation:
Best in full sun to partial shade in moisture-retentive soil that is well-drained.