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Sea Holly 'Blue Glitter' (Eryngium planum 'Blue Glitter') | $12.99 | 4-inch pot
🌿 Quick Facts: • Native Status: Non-native cultivar (species from Europe/W. Asia) • USDA Growing Zones: 4-8 • Height: 30-40 inches in flower (basal rosette 6-8 inches) • Spread: 12-24 inches
🌺 Bloom Details: • Season: Mid to late summer • Colors: Steel/electric blue cones and bracts on silver-blue stems • Flower Type: Spiny thistle-like cone ringed by stiff bracts • Bloom Period: June-September
☀️ Growing Requirements: • Sun: Full sun — needs heat • Water: Low — xeric once established; rots if overwatered • Soil: Lean, sandy or gravelly, sharply drained; tolerates alkaline and salt; no rich soil • Spacing: 15-18 inches apart
🦋 Pollinator Benefits: • Birds: Seedheads and winter structure • Native Bees: Outstanding — exposed nectar draws bumblebees and many small natives • Butterflies: Strong nectar source for skippers, painted ladies & sulphurs • Beneficial Insects: Top-tier for predatory wasps, hoverflies & tachinids
🌱 Plant Care: • Spring: Cut old stems to the basal rosette; do not divide or move (taproot) • Summer: Water sparingly; harvest for fresh or dried cuts; no fertilizer • Fall: Deadhead to limit volunteers, or leave for winter interest • Winter: Leave stems standing; avoid wet crowns
🤝 Companion Planting: • Perfect paired with:
✨ Unique Characteristics: • Truest metallic blue in the perennial trade • Blooms the first year • Premium fresh and dried cut flower • Deer and rabbit proof • Thrives in hot, poor, alkaline ground • Note: in the carrot family, not a true holly