Eryngium 'Blue Hobbit'

Eryngium 'Blue Hobbit': Sea Holly Shrunk to Front-Row Size

'Blue Hobbit' is short, sturdy and covered in tiny metallic blue cones that hold their colour for weeks. Small enough for the front of the border, tough enough for salty soil. SMALL BUT ABSOLUTELY LEGENDARY.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Eryngium planum 'Blue Hobbit'
• Common Name: Sea Holly
• Height: 25–30 cm (10–12 in)
• Spread: 30–45 cm (12–18 in)
• Flowers: Open clusters of small steel-blue cones with spiny bracts, holding their metallic colour for weeks
• Bloom Time: Early to late summer (June to August)
• Foliage: Smooth, blue-green basal leaves in a compact clump
• Features: Rabbit resistant, tolerates salty soil

Where to Plant: This is the sea holly for small gardens, so use it at the front of a sunny border, in a rock garden, along a hot walkway, or in a mixed container. Its salt tolerance makes it a good candidate for the curb strip or the edge of a driveway.

Companion Plants: Thymus 'Elfin' creeps at 2 to 8 cm with pink flowers in July and August, filling gaps around this little sea holly. Coreopsis 'Baby Sun' adds yellow daisies at 30 to 45 cm from June to September, a cheerful contrast to blue. Behind them, Lavandula 'Grosso' grows 60 to 75 cm with purple spikes from July to September. All three like full sun and a dry spot.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average to sandy soil with excellent drainage. Skip the compost and fertilizer, since lean soil keeps it compact. Avoid low spots where water sits in winter. Water through the first season, then only during long dry stretches. It forms a taproot, so choose its spot once and let it settle. It may slowly widen into a small patch. Leave the dried heads standing over winter if you like the look, and cut everything back in early spring.

History: Eryngium planum grows wild in dry grassland and sandy soil from central Europe east into western Asia. 'Blue Hobbit' is a dwarf strain of the species, selected to bring sea holly down to a size that fits the front of the border.

Final Thoughts: No long journey required, just a sunny spot near the path. THIS LITTLE ADVENTURER STAYS HOME AND STILL STEALS THE SHOW.