Janet very kindly responded to photo query re Echinops as follows:

The first one is Echinops ritro and the second one seems to be another
Echinops - I believe Echinops sphaerocephalus (see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plant...es/11507.shtml)

Janet G

Can anyone help re my response?

That's the ones! Thanks Janet. Are they annuals (Do I have to plant them
every year)? How would I go about making sure I have some of these in my
borders next summer? Would I wait until Spring and then propogate from Seed?

You can tell i'm new to this, can't you!

xiv

"louisxiv" wrote in message
...
Janet very kindly responded to photo query re Echinops as follows:

The first one is Echinops ritro and the second one seems to be another
Echinops - I believe Echinops sphaerocephalus (see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plant...es/11507.shtml)

Janet G

Can anyone help re my response?

That's the ones! Thanks Janet. Are they annuals (Do I have to plant them
every year)? How would I go about making sure I have some of these in my
borders next summer? Would I wait until Spring and then propogate from
Seed?

You can tell i'm new to this, can't you!

xiv


The blue one (Echinops ritro) comes every year from the existing rootstock.
It will self seed and produce additional plants.
You can chop back the whole plant to ground level at the end of the season.
I assume the same applies to the white one as the link posted by Janet says
that it is a perennial.

The message
from "louisxiv" contains these words:

Janet very kindly responded to photo query re Echinops as follows:

The first one is Echinops ritro and the second one seems to be another
Echinops - I believe Echinops sphaerocephalus (see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plant...es/11507.shtml)

Janet G

Can anyone help re my response?

That's the ones! Thanks Janet. Are they annuals (Do I have to plant them
every year)? How would I go about making sure I have some of these in my
borders next summer? Would I wait until Spring and then propogate from Seed?

You can tell i'm new to this, can't you!

xiv


No they're perennials. The seed germinates quite easily in warmish
conditions, so spring would be the ideal time to sow. I can't remember
whether they flower the first year or not but once you have them
established you've got them for ever. Echinops ritro seeds itself around
a bit as well, so you'll get plants popping up in other places too.

Janet G

louisxiv wrote:
Janet very kindly responded to photo query re Echinops as follows:

The first one is Echinops ritro and the second one seems to be
another Echinops - I believe Echinops sphaerocephalus (see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plant...es/11507.shtml)

Janet G

Can anyone help re my response?

That's the ones! Thanks Janet. Are they annuals (Do I have to plant
them every year)? How would I go about making sure I have some of
these in my borders next summer? Would I wait until Spring and then
propogate from Seed?

It states clearly on that page that they are perrenials.

You can tell i'm new to this, can't you!

xiv

me too, but perrenial means they come up every year

In article ,
"Rupert \(W.Yorkshire\)" writes:
|
| The blue one (Echinops ritro) comes every year from the existing rootstock.
| It will self seed and produce additional plants.
| You can chop back the whole plant to ground level at the end of the season.
| I assume the same applies to the white one as the link posted by Janet says
| that it is a perennial.

Both are. They are absolute b*gg*rs to get rid of when you want to,
as they will regrow from deep roots. They probably won't thrive in
heavy clay, but love light loams. I have never found them to self
seed much, but have never grown more than one plant.

I had forgotten that the white one wasn't a variety of E. ritro but
E. sphaerocephalus - plants that you buy as the former may well be
the latter, and it is a much inferior garden plant.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Phil L" wrote in message
.. .
louisxiv wrote:
Janet very kindly responded to photo query re Echinops as follows:

The first one is Echinops ritro and the second one seems to be
another Echinops - I believe Echinops sphaerocephalus (see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plant...es/11507.shtml)

Janet G

Can anyone help re my response?

That's the ones! Thanks Janet. Are they annuals (Do I have to plant
them every year)? How would I go about making sure I have some of
these in my borders next summer? Would I wait until Spring and then
propogate from Seed?

It states clearly on that page that they are perrenials.

You can tell i'm new to this, can't you!

xiv

me too, but perrenial means they come up every year
So it does!