Eryngium Amethystinum

Usually grown for its outstanding architectural qualities, this herbaceous perennial has spiny, leathery foliage combined with spiky, blue-to-amethyst flowers. The surrounding silvery bracts create real drama in a border, the flowers retaining their colour right into early winter, when the beautiful seed heads also feed wild birds. It is also frequently used for bouquets. This hardy, clump-forming, perennial, long-lived plant pumps out beautiful foliage and flowers year after year, after it emerges from its rosette of spiny, medium green leaves.