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Eryngium variifolium

Also Known As

Moroccan Sea Holly

Plant type

perennial

size

H: 20"-30"
W: 16"-20"

planting zones

7a-9b

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Eryngium variifolium plant details

Eryngium variifolium is a broadleaf evergreen perennial with green foliage. In summer blue flowers emerge. Grows well with sun and regular water. Drought tolerant once established. Does well in average, rich and well-drained soil.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Eryngium variifolium

Plant type: perennial
Plant family: apiaceae
Foliage: evergreen green
Mature size: 16 IN - 20 IN - wide, 20 IN - 30 IN - tall
Flowers: blue blooms in summer
Uses: cutting garden, dried-arrangements, easy-to-grow, spiky, textural

GROWING CONDITIONS for Eryngium variifolium

USDA Zones: 7a - 9b
Sun exposure: sun
Watering frequency: regular

Soil needs: average, rich and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

The decorative foliage of this 16" eye-catcher is green marbled with white, jaggedly toothed and topped by steely-blue, white-collared flowers in fall. S/M-D/GDr

By: Forestfarm

Moroccan Sea Holly has spiny, marbled, green and white foliage. And silvery-blue bracts and blue flowers open on 2' stems. "Armed to the teeth" would fit this one, but don't let that put you off - as well as prickly, it's also pretty, and interesting for certain! Minimum temperature: -20°F

By: Dancing Oaks Nursery

This handsome foliaged sea holly from Morocco has evergreen basal leaves, marbled and veined in white, and 1 ft spikes of very blue, thistle-like flowers subtended by silvery, spiny bracts in early to mid summer. Easy in full sun or very light shade in any soil. Drought tolerant once established and best left undisturbed to protect the tap root. Frost hardy -20 F, USDA zone 5.

By: Cistus Nursery

Superlative evergreen, beautifully variegated and marbled, waxy green rosettes, producing branching angular sprays of spiky silver-blue flowers with long silver bracts of 1.5 inches long! This peculiar genus from the carrot family is found around the world but with its centre of diversity in South America. There are also a number of European species. E. variifolium is endemic to the mountains of Morocco.

By: Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

The Moroccan Sea Holly is as valuable for its unusual dark and evergreen marbled foliage as for its steel blue flowers set on spiny, silvery bracts atop thick, erect silver-blue stems. Smaller than other Eryngiums, Eryngium variifolium is well suited for an up-front position in the border, in a rock garden or in a container.

By: Digging Dog Nursery

An attractive dwarf species from the mountains of Morocco with conspicuously white veined basal foliage that remains evergreen in all but the most severe winters, globular gray-blue flowerheads on 40cm stems are surrounded by spiny white bracts. ZONE 4

By: Arrowhead Alpines

The flat rosettes of white veined, dark green, holly like leaves, are enough reason alone to grow this Moroccan sea holly. It then provides stiff stems of silvery-white, pale blue centred, prickly, thistle like flowers, ideal for picking, in late Spring. A deep rooted perennial for open sunny positions, drought hardy once established. Strew them across a gravel bed for stunning effect or leave the spent flowers with deciduous grasses for that authentic Autumn feel.