Sea Holly 'Big Blue'

Eryngium x zabelii 'Big Blue'

Sea Holly 'Big Blue' is a perennial for focal point, mid-border, suited to full sun and loam, sandy soil or chalk, flowering Jul, Aug, Sep.

Where to use it in a border

At around 90 cm, it sits best toward the back of a border, or on its own as a focal point with room around it. Give it about 45 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 4a to 8b and rated H7 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, sandy soil, chalk soil, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Sea Holly 'Big Blue''s height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Bottlebrush 'Little John'to flower when it does not
• Sea Holly 'Blue Hobbit'to edge in front
• Abelia 'Kaleidoscope'to flower when it does not
• Angelita Daisyto edge in front
• Basket-of-goldto edge in front
• Bear Grassto flower when it does not

Garden styles

Coastal Mediterranean Modern Wildlife garden