{"product_id":"eryngium-variifolium","title":"Eryngium variifolium","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eEryngium variifolium\u003c\/strong\u003e, better known as the \u003cstrong\u003eMoroccan Sea Holly\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a compact evergreen perennial that earns its place through year-round structure. Where most sea hollies vanish below ground in winter, this Atlas Mountains native holds a tidy rosette of rounded, dark-green leaves veined and marbled in silvery white, giving architectural interest in every season.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn summer it sends up branched, stiffly upright stems topped with small, cone-shaped flowerheads in a metallic silver-blue, each cradled by a ruff of narrow, spiny bracts. The effect is jewel-like and thistle-sharp, and the nectar-rich blooms are a magnet for bees and butterflies. Rated RHS H4 and hardy to around -10C, it is fully hardy across most of the UK and genuinely drought tolerant once settled.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow and where to grow\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e full sun, ideally a south or west facing spot for the best flower colour and the most compact growth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e poor to moderately fertile and sharply drained, on chalk, loam or sand across the full pH range.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e a neat 30 to 40cm tall and 25 to 30cm wide, reaching its modest final size in two to five years.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e fully hardy to about -10C; the only real enemy is cold, wet soil in winter, so drainage is everything.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater through the first summer to build a strong root system, after which it needs almost no attention and no feeding. Its love of lean, free-draining ground makes it a natural choice for \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/drought-tolerant-plants\"\u003edrought tolerant\u003c\/a\u003e and gravel schemes, while the silver-blue flowers and evergreen rosettes lift the front of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/exotic-border-plants\"\u003eexotic borders\u003c\/a\u003e. The compact habit also suits \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003egrowing in pots\u003c\/a\u003e, and the summer blooms make it one of our favourite \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pollinators\"\u003eplants for pollinators\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of our wider \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hardy-exotics\"\u003ehardy exotics\u003c\/a\u003e collection, every Eryngium variifolium we supply is nursery-grown, carefully selected for a healthy crown and strong roots, and packed with care to arrive in superb condition. For a sense of how hardy exotics behave through the year, see our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hardy-exotics-what-to-expect\"\u003ewhat to expect\u003c\/a\u003e guide.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"17cm \/ 2L","offer_id":57973037465983,"sku":"ERYNVARI17","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0361\/9645\/0348\/files\/iStock-2194084525.jpg?v=1784328262","url":"https:\/\/growtropicals.com\/products\/eryngium-variifolium","provider":"GrowTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}