giant sea holly
Eryngium pandanifolium
RHS AGM 2004
USDA zones9 to 10
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles moderate to moist soil
Size7 to 8 feet tall4 to 5 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Giant sea holly (Eryngium pandanifolium) is a perennial for borders and low maintenance gardens. It grows outdoors year-round in USDA zone 9 and warmer, down to about 20°F (-7°C). In colder areas, grow it as a houseplant or bring it indoors for winter. This plant likes full sun and average to moist, sandy, loamy, or chalky soil. It is not a favorite of deer, though hungry deer will eat almost anything. It blooms in early to late summer and again in early to late autumn, and butterflies, bees, and birds visit the flowers.
Pairs well with Black Knight butterfly bush, Papyrus, and Lavender Perfection dahlia.
Native range
South America.