Practical
Plants

Echinops spinosissimus

a perennial member of the Echinops genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.8 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Yields a gum that is used for chewing[6][7][3].

Product or use
Gum

Environment

Range
Europe - Mediterranean.
Habitat
Fields and rocky places[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow early spring in a cold frame[1]. The seed usually germinates in 3 - 9 weeks at 25°c[2]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. The seed can also be sown in an outdoor seedbed in mid spring and is then planted out into its permanent position in late summer or the autumn[1]. Division in autumn[1]. Root cuttings in the winter[5].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in a sunny position in any well drained soil of low or medium fertility[2][5]. Established plants are drought tolerant[4].

References

  1. Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  4. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

    ↩

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  6. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  7. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  8. Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1

    ↩

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