Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue'

small globe thistle

Eventual height & spread

Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue'

small globe thistle

  • 9cm pot
  • £12.99
  • In stock (shipped within 2-3 working days)
  • 3 × 9cm pots
  • £22.95 £7.65 each
  • In stock (shipped within 2-3 working days)
  • 2 litre pot
  • £19.99
  • available to order from summer
  • 3 × 2 litre pots
  • £49.99 £16.66 each
  • available to order from summer
Delivery options
  • Standard £5.99
  • Next/Named Day £10.99
  • Position: full sun
  • Soil: poor, well-drained soil
  • Rate of growth: average
  • Flowering period: July to August
  • Hardiness: fully hardy


Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' is a compact, clump-forming perennial known for its striking steel-blue, spherical flower heads that bloom atop rigid stems in summer, often repeating in autumn.

Reaching up to 90cm (3ft) tall, its spiny, dark green leaves with downy white undersides add texture to sunny, well-drained borders where it partners well with other silver foliage plants.

This globe thistle is a magnet for pollinators like bees and butterflies and works well as a cut or dried flower.

Its deeper blue blooms offer a bold, architectural element, making it a standout choice for cottage or Mediterranean gardens, wildlife-friendly spaces, or adding contrast to ornamental grasses.


  • Garden care:
    Echinops do well in a variety of soil types, including poor or dry soils, as long as they are well-drained. This tap-rooted plant is best left undisturbed after planting, as it can be challenging to divide or transplant once established.

    To prolong flowering and prevent self-seeding, deadhead the spent blooms, though leaving them can provide a winter food source for birds, and add winter interest as the frost highlights their architectural form.
  • Goes well with