Cousinia Thomsonii

Description

A rare and most unusual plant bearing disproportionately-large, erect pink or purple flower heads with spherical, spiny, woolly-haired involucres. The erect spiny cottony stems hold deeply pinnately-lobed spiny leaves, white and cottony beneath. Rarely seen or offered, this high altitude herbaceous plant is found on stony ground in the Himalayas from Afghanistan to West Nepal and Tibet, at altitudes of 3000-4200 m, where it flowers in July and August.

Sowing Advice

Seeds can be sown at any time but are best sown in winter or early spring to benefit from a cold spell in the wet compost to break their dormancy. We advise covering seeds very thinly with sand or fine grit to about the depth of the seed size. If the seeds do not come up within 6 to 12 weeks the damp seed tray can be given cold treatment in a fridge for about four weeks. They may still take very many months to appear, so please never discard the pot or tray.

Key Facts