Echinops ritro ruthenicus

Undemanding, heat tolerant, and handsome in even ordinary well-drained soil, Echinops ritro subsp. ruthenicus is a wonderfully easy globe thistle for dry gardens, pollinator plantings, perennial borders, and carefree containers. Its impressive 3" rounded blue flower heads stand like richly colored little tennis balls on strong, branching, ghostly-white stems above finely cut, shimmering silver foliage.

Also known as blue globe thistle, this deer resistant perennial grows about 3' tall and 2' wide, blooming from mid-summer into fall when butterflies are very happy to find it. The architectural flowers are fabulous fresh or dried, adding unusual texture to bouquets, meadow-style plantings, and low-water garden designs. Pair it with yarrow, salvias, ornamental grasses, lavender, and other drought tolerant perennials for a bold, silvery-blue display.

Plant globe thistle in full sun with well-drained soil. It tolerates heat and poor soil as long as drainage is good, and it is drought tolerant once established, though prettier with occasional summer water. Explore more durable favorites in our perennials and biennials collection.

We guarantee that the plants we sell are healthy and viable at the time they leave our care.

If a plant arrives in substandard condition, please take clear photographs and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. To ensure eligibility under this guarantee, we strongly encourage you to open and unpack your shipment immediately upon delivery and inspect the plants thoroughly.

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Standard live-plant shipping to eligible destinations is $16.99 for 1–6 plants, $22.99 for 7–12, $28.99 for 13–18, $34.99 for 19–24, and $40.99 for 25–30. For 31 or more plants, shipping is 20% of the order value. Expedited shipping is priced separately at checkout.

(AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, WV)
(list of states subject to change seasonally due to extreme heat or cold conditions)

We cannot ship Annie's Annuals plants to P.O. boxes or outside the continental U.S.

Individual plants are shipped in 4" pots and we ship in boxes of 4, 6, 8, or 12 plants per box.

For more details, read our full Ordering and Shipping Policies

Get your plants off to a strong start with our care guide.

Download the Plant Care Guide (PDF)