Eryngium Venustum

Mexican eryngo is a compact evergreen perennial forming bold rosettes of waxy, pale grey-green leaves edged with sharp spines. From midsummer into early autumn, branching stems carry silvery white to pale green, thimble-shaped flower heads surrounded by narrow pointed bracts. The cool metallic colouring and sculptural foliage make it especially effective with dark grasses, purple salvias and warm gravel. Native to Mexico, Eryngium venustum is hardy in well-drained ground, drought tolerant once established and valuable to pollinating insects, as well as providing excellent stems for drying.