Lol, I wouldn't have thought of this one!

My lonely cycad is a sharp, I guess.
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It's 'nesting' this year and has no new fronds with sharp ends.
Since there are no male cycads nearby to fertilize it
so we'll have seeds, it's a frustrating summer.

I looked at the TOC to the book. 'Fluffy spikes' would include my vetiver grass.

I don't have cacti, yucca nor agaves.
Y'all please show us your swords and lances.

Nell

Wouldn't Kniphofia count? The leaves on mine are like razors. I have three mixed in the beds and all are currently hidden by over zealous rudbeckia.

I think I will have to pass on this one except for iris.

Actually, Token, Kniphofia is one that was included as a sharp in the book I mentioned.

I suppose lemon grass is, too. The blades aren't stiff enough to work in the way that I think of sharps, but they're certainly sharp.

I forgot about my aloe . . . tend not to think of it as a garden plant because it lives on my front porch. It's a monster that's had lots of little pups and even bloomed a couple of summers ago:
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Sorry, I think I'm anti-sharp in the garden! I do have iris and echinacea, and my next-door neighbor has yucca in the border along our property line, but that's about it. I will have more once I get roses (thorns), but in general, I prefer not to get stuck painfully.

Oh, do yew count? I have a bunch next to the patio, mainly because they are there and eventually it will all come out when (if!) we build our addition.

I suppose there are two themes in this post, plants that are actually SHARP, and plants that are spiky in form that add and 'exclamation point' to the garden.

I do have several plants that are truly sharp, like Yucca, Globe Thistle (Echinops), Sea Holly (Eryngium) which are sharp in both foliage and flower.

I like to play a lot with textures/forms in the garden. Spiky, plants are a favorite of mine. Crocosmia has a bold leaf to it that gives that sharp texture.

Don't forget, flowers can add spiky form too! It is a double bonus if you can find a plant that had both foliage and flowers that are spiky! Veronica and Veronicastrum for instance.
CMK

What kind of Eryngium do you grow? Did you start it from seed?

You're right, I didn't start this off quite right. What I'm really looking for is plants with a strong structural silhouette, used in combination with more traditional cottage garden plants. They aren't necessarily sharp in the sense of razor-edged, though they might be.

I don't think I'd enjoy gardening in the desert. (After all, what is there to do once you've planted stuff, other than stay out of the way?) But I love desert plant forms and would like to mix some in with my more typical perennials.

You might use Vetiver grass to good effect, treelover. It's taller and wispier than lemongrass. Are you familiar with it? Grown a lot in Louisiana.

Nell

-treelover, no, I think you did a very good job. ;-)

My Sea Holly is 'Jade Frost', which has variegated foliage. It has cream/white variegation at the edges of the leaves (and the stems), which are tinged rose in the spring. The flowers are blue that fade to silver. Dries well for arrangements. I bought it at a plant sale. I really like it and plan to buy an E. alpinum at the next sale.

Here is a pic of Eryngium planum 'Jade Frost'
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If you like that you should try Eryngium yuccafolium- Rattlesnake Mater. I don't grow it myself, but I know that those who do love thiers. Really interesting plant.
CMK

Here is a link that might be useful: Eryngium yuccafolium

I have three kinds of Aloe, 2 varieties of Yucca, a Bromeliad, and three Agave. I also have a lot of Cactus. Have Red Hot Pokers too. Yes, Christin, I would think that Thistles would count. I have several varieties of those - natives, but I like them, and so do finches and butterflies.
How about bamboo? I have some of that. A tall, invasive kind and a short, invasive kind.
And Pine trees? Also Mugo Pines.
What about other pointy-leafed evergreens like Junipers and Holly?
Sword plant (Mother-in-law's Tongue)?
Palms?

Sharp topic! You got right to the point!

~Annie

That 'Jade Frost' is really beautiful. It's going on my got-to-have list.

I never thought of evergreens being in this category. I have a little Italian stone pine that should have a very nice silhouette when it grows up. But at 6" a year . . . I probably won't live long enough to see it.

Nell: That Vetiver grass sure looks nice in photos.

I've been trying to grow some grasses the past few years, with limited success. Pink Muhly is disappointing, but Mexican Feathergrass has done real well. Just picked up some Little Bluestem and Karl Foerster Feather Reed at Lowes the other day for $1 each. Still trying to decide where to put them.

treelover,

Your aloe is gorgeous!

I thought of pines and etc for this category because they have sharp, pointy needles and many cones have sharp prickles too.
Step on fallen needles with bare feet and you will see how sharp they can be. Junipers and cedars are downright painful on bare feet.

My Agaves are like chainsaws. Rip me up every time I move them.

~Annie