FoliageGlobe Thistle
Echinops ritro
Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro) is a medium-growing perennial, hardy in USDA zones 3-8, that matures to about 3-4 ft × 2-2.5 ft. It does best in full sun with low water needs in well-drained and occasionally-dry soil. Expect blue blooms in summer and fall. It attracts butterflies and pollinators, stands up well to deer, drought and dry soil.
- USDA zones
- 3-8
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Mature size
- 3-4 ft × 2-2.5 ft
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Occasionally-dry
- Bloom color
- Blue
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Attracts
- Butterflies, Pollinators
- Tough against
- Deer, Drought, Dry soil, Poor soil, Rabbits
- Native to
- Central and eastern Europe, Asia
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Globe Thistle is hardy to about -40°F (estimated from USDA zone 3), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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