What To Plant With Globe Thistle?

Globe thistles are a fantastic addition to a garden – but shouldn’t they have friends? What to plant with globe thistle, you wonder?

Don’t worry, we’ve got all the answers for you! Planting globe thistles with other plants will make both them and the other plants look even more spectacular.

What To Plant With Globe Thistle

These plants are beautiful in their own right, sure, but did you know you can plant other things with them to increase their natural appeal?

Globe thistles are great at attracting pollinators, so they are ideal to plant next to things that need a lot of pollinating.

Because globe thistles are quite tall, they look best at the back of a border, to stop them from shading out other plants in front of them.

• Foxgloves are a great companion to globe thistles; they are tall and striking and the color looks fantastic next to these blue beauties.
• Russian Sage works really well with globe thistle – the color is similar but the look of the sage plants is completely different so these guys look great together.
• Echinacea is a lovely neighbor for globe thistle – they like similar conditions, so they work really well in abed together.
• Phlox is a wonderful companion for globe thistle – these are showy and fragrant and bloom for a good long time.
• Yarrow is another plant that works really well with globe thistle – the pillowy white blooms work really well with the globe thistles striking loveliness.
• Hyssop and globe thistle work really well together – the hyssop adds a great color and interesting texture to the borders and beds that contain both of these plants.

Whatever you want to plant with your globe thistle will look fantastic, but bear in mind the above beauties to make them all look even better!

This little video shows you the true beauty of Echninops growing with some Echniacea and other plants:

Are Globe Thistles Hardy?

For those of us who like a plant that is not very demanding, globe thistles really are the answer to our prayers.

These are extremely hardy plants, which will be happy in a variety of different conditions and need very little input in order to thrive.

Globe thistles are drought tolerant, and in fact they will do better with less water and drier conditions than many plants can handle.

You won’t need to worry about feeding your globe thistle – they will do just fine without any additional nutrients.

They are actually really good at coping with poor soil too, so if your garden is not a haven of mulch and compost, then no need to worry!

In fact, globe thistles are still hardy even when they have been cut – they make a great cut flower display, and will last much longer than the other flowers you put with them.

Do Globe Thistles Spread?

All thistles, once they have finished their flowering, produce little seeds that are mostly fluff, so they can spread incredibly well.

Globe thistles are no exception. You may be happy with this, or you may wish to contain them somewhat if they are taking over your garden.

If you don’t mind a garden filled with globe thistle then you don’t have to do anything – simply leave the plant to it, and those seeds will spread far and wide.

If you don’t want any more globe thistles then you will need to do a bit of damage control before the seeds start.

Once it has flowered and the heads are just starting to wilt, cut them off before the seeds have fully ripened.

It is advised to burn or bin these seeds heads – putting them in the compost will simply allow them to spread further, or regrow from the compost that you put on your garden.

Can I Divide Globe Thistle In Fall?

Obviously you can grow globe thistles from seeds, but actually a better way to grow them is to divide existing plants.

Dividing your globe thistle in the autumn is the best way to do this – try to make sure the plant has totally finished its main growth before you do so.

• Make sure the plant you are planning to divide is at least 3 years old, for the best results.
• Wait until the plant is completely dormant and winter is established, but do this before the ground freezes solid.
• Using a garden fork, gently lift the roots of your globe thistle, taking care not to damage the smaller roots.
• Take a sharp knife or pair of secateurs, and split the root ball into smaller sections, ensuring that each section still has roots attached.
• You should then replant the main root ball into its original hole, and you can either plant the cuttings nearby, or keep them in a cool dark place until they are ready to plant the following year.

Dividing the root ball this way is a great way to not only get new plants, but it can also help to control your original plant so it doesn’t take over.

Here is a good article explaining the best ways to divide plants using this method – it is not based solely on globe thistle, but the basic principle is the same.

Do Thistles Come Back Every Year?

Thistles are generally considered to be weeds, and as such they tend to be pretty hardy and resistant to many things that would kill other plants.

They are also perennials, which means that yes, they will come back up every year in the spring.

The great thing, if you are happy to have thistles in your garden, is that they are very difficult to kill!

The leaves, flowers and stems will all die off over winter and the plant will seem completely dead – but the roots are well and truly alive under the soil.

As the plant ages, the root system works its way deeper and stronger into the soil, providing the plant with the nutrients it needs to grow well.

Echinops, like all the thistle family, is a perennial, and it too will bounce back in the spring, to fill your garden with its gorgeousness again!

Companion planting is great – it often means that you can protect plants from predators or diseases, as well as making them look amazing.

Planting things with globe thistle shouldn’t be too difficult – and once you have found the perfect partnership you will never look back!