30/09/2026
Plant of the Month: Sea Holly
Eryngium – e-RING-e-um
E. maritimum – mar-IT-i-mum (native to the UK)
E. bourgatii – boor-GA-te-I (one of the most popular species)
I find Eryngium fascinating. The range of colours, particularly the beautiful blues, is striking, while the unusual form of the flowers – and the plants as a whole – makes them a real feature in the garden.
The genus is widespread, with Eryngium maritimum, native to Great Britain and Ireland, also found around the Mediterranean and across coastal regions of Europe, North Africa, the Caucasus and parts of Western Asia.
Although less showy than some of its relatives, it is remarkable how well it has adapted to its harsh coastal environment. Its deep taproot helps access water, while its spiny leaves deter grazing. Its succulent leaves and stems store water, and the grey-blue foliage helps reduce water loss.
The showier varieties thrive in free-draining, poor and dry soil and need a sunny position, making them ideal for seaside and Mediterranean-style gardens, as well as drought-tolerant borders.
The blues and purples of E. bourgatii and E. × tripartitum work beautifully in planting schemes, or provide a striking contrast alongside yellows and oranges. They also make excellent cut flowers and can be dried for winter arrangements.
A little Eryngium story…
I once made a wedding flower arrangement and had hoped to use Peace Lilies. When I couldn’t find any, I chose something completely different – Eryngium with bright orange Gerbera.
Looking back, the spiky Eryngium and cheerful Gerbera seemed a rather good representation of married life, with all its ups and downs!
Images: Ramin Nakisa, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licence, and Júlio Reis (Tintazul), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
