Eryngium paniculatum seeds

Eryngium paniculatum, a South American Sea Holly known as Chupalla, is endemic to the southern half of Argentina and Chile all the way down to Tierra del Fuego. It has highly attractive foliage forming rosettes of long narrow green leaves that are serrated with margins of fine spines resembling a Puya. It forms a clumping colony that is a striking addition to the perennial garden and in summer it produces a tall flower-spike to 2m bearing tufty globular greenish-white flowers borne on spiky bracts.

Its long roots appreciate a deep soil and it does best in full sun. A sheltered wind-free aspect is ideal.  In the wild it is subjected to severe frosts and snow and seems to cope with the British climate quite well. Mulching in winter is only sensible.