The MGS Forum
Plants for mediterranean gardens => Perennials => Topic started by: JTh on August 08, 2015, 09:13:22 AM
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This was seen a couple of days ago near our place in Halkidiki, northern Greece. When I first saw it from the car, I thought it looked like Globularia because of the colour of the flowers, but it is of course not the right season. When I looked closer, I saw it was a very attractive small thistle, Echinops microcephalus, which I believe would be very nice as a garden plant in this climate.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/471/19725901053_94191780da.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/w47p9i)
P8060560 Echinops microcephalus.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/w47p9i) by Jorun Tharaldsen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46063510@N03/), on Flickr
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/446/20338464442_b51207e909.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/wZeWU3)
P8060571 Echinops microcephalus.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/wZeWU3) by Jorun Tharaldsen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46063510@N03/), on Flickr
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/559/20158824000_6ff87a07e3.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/wHnf43)
P8060562 Echinops microcephalus.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/wHnf43) by Jorun Tharaldsen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46063510@N03/), on Flickr
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Lovely Jorun, I grow Echinops globulosa and it copes very well with dry conditions but gets very floppy, this lower growing one looks ideal as I love the colour combinations within the plant. I have tried picking them at all stages of development but they soon disintegrate- shame as they look stunning in a pot and would be good for the winter months when flowers are scarce if only they would dry intact.
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Hi Umbrian,
Don't know from experience but I read somewhere that spraying a flower with hairspray helps to keep it in place while it is drying or in a water vase. Maybe you've tried that already? :)
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Great idea Jorun. I don't think any commercial nursery sells plants or seeds - an opportunity there for someone!
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I have heard about using hairspray to protect the colours, but I haven't tried it.
The plant must have been for sale, RHS's Plant Finder says: Last-listed in the RHS Plant Finder in 2005. Maybe somebody should try to propagate this? If I see some seeds, I'll try to collect them.
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Hi John,
If you are ever passing by that place again (you say it is quite near your place) perhaps Chantal would like to get seed for her seed bank? Just an idea.
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I have thought about saving seeds myself, I'll see if I can find any ripe ones. I'm afraid it may be too early, though, we are leaving Greece in 8 days. The place is not far from here, but the road is not very good.
By the way, I'm afraid you have mixed my name with a couple of others, it's an old-Norse name, only used in Norway, but definitely a female one, and so am I.
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Oooops! Which planet am I on. Forgive me Jth, we are going through a heatwave at the moment. I noticed that I've mixed up yourself, John and Alisdair in my replies over the last couple of days. That must be a record number of mistakes for the forum. Have a safe trip :)
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You are forgiven, David, you are not the first one to make this mistake.
We went back to the place where we saw the Echinops today, I believe it is still quite early for seeds, but I collected some which may be ripe, I am not quite sure.