Berkheya purpurea
Berkheya purpurea is a South African member of the thistle family with pale purple daisy-like flowers and relatively soft yet spiny foliage with wavy margins and long soft silvery white hairs on the undersides. This combination of soft and spiny is curiously compelling and as the rosette grows larger and begins to clump it creates an extremely attractive plant. A herbaceous perennial in the UK, it produces a deep taproot that is capable of withstanding severe drought.
Berkheya purpurea requires full sun and a well-drained substrate. It tolerates poor soils but prefers a more fertile offering. Hardy in the milder parts of the UK it will benefit from a deep gravel mulch to protect and insulate its roots from winter cold.
Additional Information
| Order | Asterales |
|---|---|
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Sub-Family | Carduoideae |
| Synonyms | Crocodilodes purpureum, Stobaea purpurea |
| Geographical Origin | South Africa, Lesotho |
| Cultivation | Full sun. A fertile but well-drained soil. A thick gravel mulch for winter |
| Eventual Height | 75cm |
| Eventual Spread | 75cm |
| Hardiness | Herbaceous perennial. Down to about -5C. Hardy in most milder parts of the country: southwest and coastal areas and the London heat island |
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