Eryngium Giganteum 'Miss Wilmott's Ghost'

Description

One of the most impressive summer plants you can grow in the UK, with unbelievable metallic silvery-blue leaves, flowers and stems. The word gigantea refers to the flowers, not the plants which are rarely more than 0.6 metres high. So named, as famous gardener, Miss Wilmott, used to walk around friends' gardens secretly scattering the seeds from her pocket. Surprisingly, and totally unexpectedly (so please remember this...), they come up the first year with soft green leaves, nothing at all like the final plant. They later die down to a hardy tuber to overwinter. But, surprise, surprise....the following year erupts the fabulous metallic, silver-grey familiar foliage, followed by the amazing flower heads. Everyone should grow one!

Sowing Advice

Sow seeds IMMEDIATELY you receive them, at any time of the year, they depend on having several months in cold, damp compost, (NOT DRY IN A FRIDGE) before they will germinate. Keep the seed tray moist in a cold greenhouse or shady corner. These fresh seeds can be very slow to germinate. Do not use any artificial heat in an attempt to germinate them as it may cause them to enter even deeper dormancy.

Key Facts