Eryngium x oliverianum
(Oliver Sea Holly)

Family - Apiaceae
Category - Perennial
Year of Introduction - 1731
Season of Interest - Spring, Summer, Autumn
Hardiness - H5
Height - 90cm
Width - 45cm
Location - The East Border

Description: A clump-forming herbaceous Perennial with an upright, branching habit. Dark green Basal Leaves are Cordate to ovate in shape and held in rosettes. Sharp, spiny stem leave are grey-green and palmately lobed. Many small blue flowers are held densely in cylindrical umbels. The flowerheads are subtended by a collar of narrow, spiny, electric blue Bracts. The flowerheads are held on branched stems that are a vivid shade of electric blue and produced from mid to late summer. Excellent for use as cut flowers and drying and highly attractive to pollinating insects.

Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Additional common name - Oliver Eryngo


Flower:

Many small, violet-blue flowers are held in cylindrical umbels. The flowerheads are subtended by a collar (involucre) of spiny, narrow electric blue bracts. The flowerheads are held on upright, branching stems and produced in July and August.

Flower colour: Blue

Flower shape: Small flowers in umbels

Flowering time: July, August

Foliage:

Dark green Basal Leaves are ovate to Cordate in shape with spiny margins. The stem leaves are grey-green and palmately lobed. The stem leaves have sharp spines and are held in opposite pairs up branching, vivid electric blue stems.

Foliage Senescence: Deciduous

Foliage Shape: Cordate to ovate, palmately lobed

Propagation:

Root cuttings.

Cultivation:

Best in full sun in well-drained soil. Avoid planting in a position that suffers waterlogging during the winter months.