Moving this down...

Hiya Josh~
Thanks for the link on the Thistle! That was quite interesting, & gee---- I'm not sure if I have seen this specific type of Thistle around this area or not, but I am definately going to be scouting-around for it this Summer! The ones we have here, have the beautiful Purple flower heads to them, and like I mentioned before, they get HUGE!

I think we might just have the "yellow" ones as well, so I will keep my eye out for them this Summer. Thanks for posting Josh... you're always a "pleasure!"

~IndianPaintBrush~

Well, I grew it! Planted in container this spring, grew to only 2 feet with 6 stems, one 2-inch blossom on each stem. Hope blooms are bigger and grows taller next year. The blossoms lasted well as cut flowers in water, and also dried well keeping the deep yellow color (so far). Sort of gaudy color but will look good with autumn arrangements of grass plumes and fall foliage.

josh

We grow a lot of these, although we've never tried them in containers. In the ground, at least, they get to be very large plants with many flowers at about 4 feet high, usually beginning to bloom significantly their second year. They're best picked earlier rather than later -- as soon as they expand, and before you see any hint of brown on the tips of the petals/stamens whatever. They do much better in well-drained, loose soil than really heavy clay.

Another alternative to common purple thistles is the cardoon. It has the same look and color, but it holds together better. It can be spiney, but there are spineless cultivars. It's also tender, and has to be heavily protected in the north. Finally, it tends to be biennial. On the other handm if you grow some extras, you can blanch the stems and use them in Italian dishes.

Neil, Container-gardening is a necessity because of age but I still grow dozens of new-to-me plants each year ... if they are big, bold, good for cutting and/or drying I'm game...LOL Thus I ordered Cynara cardunculus from Plant Delights this spring. Leaves are so beautiful and supposed to be hardy here...doing well but no sign yet of buds. Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm also in love with Eryngium 'Miss Willmott's Ghost', so much larger than other Eryngiums I've grown. And Seseli gummeferum 'Moon Carrot'. Both are annuals but what great form! Well worth my daily dawn watering patrol...the main drawback to containers.

I date back to 1996 with GW and remember your posts on starting your operation...always enjoy reading how very many varieties you grow. I'd just like to see your fields each year! josh