Eryngium

The Eryngium, also known as the cross thistle, is a real metallic eye-catcher. This flower comes in many shapes, sizes and colours: from silver-green to many shades of blue and purple. The often metallic-like sheen is striking. Eryngium is known for its prickly, silvery leaves and intriguing cone-shaped inflorescence, which can have a deep blue or purple hue. These features have given it a nickname, namely the 'sea urchin among plants'. Summery blue with a metallic-like sheen: if you look more closely, you suddenly see the beauty of this spiny Eryngium.

Eryngium looks like a star on a stick. This prickly flower adds structure to a bouquet. Well-known types are Eryngium alpinum (large blue flowers) and Eryngium planum (branched stems with many small flowers). Besides these European types, you also have thistles with South American roots, such as Eryngium pandanifolium. The freshly cut stems of Eryngium emit a spicy scent with a hint of sweet in it. Eryngium is related to carrot, celery and many more vegetables and herbs. They all belong to the umbellifer family (Apiaceae).