Galactites tomentosa
Mediterranean thistle
- Height × spread
- 1m × 1m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Frost free greenhouse 1C & above (RHS H2)
- Flowers
- Summer
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This delightful plant looks as though it can't make up its mind whether its a thistle or a pincushion flower. It is an open bushy plant with silvery green lobed leaves with long spines. From this somewhat tangled, picturesque mound rise slender stalks carrying thistle like flowers in shades of pinky mauve or white. They have spiky looking slender petals and a large purple disc at their centre with silvery bracts, a spine at their tip which are technically termed 'phyllaries'. Prune this as soon as the flowers fade to encourage an all summer show. This is an annual but self seeds. Give it sunshine a light soil that is very free draining. Prune to shape and contain. This reaches around 1m (3ft) (3ft) in both height and spread.
- Flower colour
- Pink
- Foliage colour
- Green, Grey
- Variegated
- Yes
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Column
- Height
- 1m
- Spread
- 1m
- Season of interest
- Summer, Winter
- Flowers in
- Summer
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Winter garden, Gravel garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Gravelly soil, Loam (normal), Poor soil, Sandy soil
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Well drained soil, Dry soil, Drought resistant
- Hardiness
- Frost free greenhouse 1C & above (RHS H2)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Hazards
- Yes, leaves are prickly
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water in dry periods
Established plants in the ground can cope with 7-10 days of dryness, and shrubs often manage 2 to 3 weeks. Water one section of the garden thoroughly each day rather than a little everywhere. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather.
Spring-Autumn · Planting
Trim dead flowers to prevent self-seeding
Note on self-seeding: If you do not want this plant to set seed it is necessary to promptly remove the spent flowers as they fade.
It's possible to carefully remove the seed heads, complete with seed, and then place them in areas where you would like new seedlings to grow.
Summer
Summer - early · Outdoors
Feed a general fertiliser
Where plants have moderate needs for nutrients, they can simply be given a general feed, fairly early in the growth season so that the growth has plenty of time to harden off before the cold weather.
Give plants a general boost with the application of a general purpose fertiliser which is spread around the root area of the plant, with amounts as directed on the feed label.