Family: Asteraceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 814 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Echinops
Vegetable: Unknown
Observations: Europe to C. Siberia and Xinjiang
Description
The Great globe thistle, scientifically known as Echinops sphaerocephalus, is a perennial plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family. This distinctive and visually striking plant is native to a wide range of regions, extending from Europe to Central Siberia and even reaching Xinjiang.
Echinops sphaerocephalus is best recognized for its spherical, spiky flower heads, which lend the plant its common name. The flowers, typically blue to violet in color, are composed of numerous tiny florets tightly clustered together. Each flower head forms a globe-like shape, and the plant’s stiff, branching stems provide robust support for these striking blooms.
This thistle thrives in a variety of environments, often found in dry, sunny locations such as grasslands, meadows, and fields. It exhibits a hardy nature, which allows it to endure less-than-ideal soil conditions and still flourish. Because of its resilience and unique appearance, the Great globe thistle is a favored choice for ornamental gardens and landscape designs seeking to add architectural interest and vibrant color.
The plant’s leaves are also distinctive, characterized by their deep lobes and prickly edges, which contribute to the thistle’s somewhat rugged aesthetic. These leaves are typically a darker green on top with a lighter, sometimes silvery-hued underside.
First described in the 18th century botanical work “Species Plantarum” by Carl Linnaeus, Echinops sphaerocephalus has long been of interest to botanists and horticulturists alike. Its ability to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies further enhances its value in both natural and cultivated settings.
In summary, the Great globe thistle is not only an eye-catching addition to any garden but also a robust and enduring species with a fascinating cultivation history and widespread geographical presence.
Common Names
Lit: apskritagalvis bandrenis
Deu: drüsenblättrige kugeldistel, drüsige kugeldistel, gewöhnliche kugeldistel, kugeldistel
Dan: fligbladet tidselkugle, fligetbladet tidselkugle, grå mynte, rundbladet mynte
Eng: glandular globe thistle, glandular globe-thistle, globe thistle, great globe thistle, great globethistle, great globe-thistle, common globe-thistle, globe-thistle
Swe: gråmynta, rundmynta, bolltistel, valkopallo-ohdake, ädelmynta
Nor: gråmynte, rundmynte
Fin: harmaaminttu, pyöröminttu, valkopallo-ohdake, äderlmynta
Pol: przegorzan kulisty
Lav: apaļgalvas ežziede, zil
Fra: boulette commune, oursin à têtes rondes, chardon boulette, échinops à tête ronde
Ces: bělotrn kulatohlavý
Nob: kuletistel
Nno: kuletistel
Est: valkjas mesiohakas
Nld: beklierde kogeldistel
Lat: echinops
Cym: ysgall pengrwn chwarennog, ysgallen bengron chwarennog, ysgallen bengrwn
En: Great globe thistle, Globe thistle, Glandular globe thistle, Great globethistle, Chapman’s HOney Plant, Glandular Globe-thistle, Great globe-thistle, Common globe-thistle, Globe-thistle
Ca: Card d’eriçó
Cs: Bělotrn kulatohlavý
Da: Fligbladet tidselkugle, Fligetbladet tidselkugle, Grå Mynte, Rundbladet Mynte
Nl: Beklierde kogeldistel
Et: Valkjas mesiohakas
Fi: Valkopallo-ohdake, Harmaaminttu, Pyöröminttu, Äderlmynta
Fr: Boulette commune, Oursin à têtes rondes, Chardon boulette, Échinops à tête ronde, Boulette à grosse tête
De: Drüsige Kugeldistel, Drüsenblättrige Kugeldistel, Gewöhnliche Kugeldistel, Kugeldistel, Blaue Kugeldistel
It: Cardo-pallottola maggiore
La: Echinops
Lv: Apaļgalvas ežziede, Zil
Lt: Apskritagalvis bandrenis
No: Gråmynte, Rundmynte
Nb: Kuletistel
Nn: Kuletistel
Pl: Przegorzan kulisty
Sv: Bolltistel, Gråmynta, Rundmynta, Valkopallo-ohdake, Ädelmynta
Cy: Ysgall Pengrwn Chwarennog, Ysgallen Bengron Chwarennog, Ysgallen Bengrwn
Synonyms
- Echinopus sphaerocephalus ((L.) Scop.)
Distribution
- Albania (native)
- Altay (native)
- Austria (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Belarus (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Central European Rus (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- France (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Iran (native)
- Italy (native)
- Kazakhstan (native)
- Krasnoyarsk (native)
- Krym (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- Poland (native)
- Romania (native)
- Saudi Arabia (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Transcaucasus (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- West Siberia (native)
- Xinjiang (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Belgium (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Colorado (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Germany (introduced)
- Great Britain (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Iowa (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Maine (introduced)
- Manitoba (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Minnesota (introduced)
- Netherlands (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New South Wales (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Primorye (introduced)
- Québec (introduced)
- Saskatchewan (introduced)
- Sweden (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Washington (introduced)
- West Virginia (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
Additional Images
Flower
Taken Aug 1, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 2, 2018 by Annemarie Ahrens-Stehle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 1, 2018 by Sophie Dashwood (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 3, 2019 by Varrey Daniel (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 1, 2018 by Sophie Dashwood (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Oct 18, 2020 by francois tissot (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 6, 2020 by Jean-François Baudin (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 15, 2021 by SchnuffelQ (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 1, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 1, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Aug 8, 2022 by Ulla A (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 9, 2019 by Varrey Daniel (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 1, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 1, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 1, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Jul 28, 2019 by Andreas (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 22, 2020 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 22, 2020 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 25, 2020 by Manfred Müller (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 30, 2018 by Mehmet Basbag (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Jun 28, 2020 by Sebastian Kraft (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 5, 2021 by Llandrich anna (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 20, 2017 by Llandrich anna (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 18, 2019 by Chris Georges (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 17, 2020 by Andreas Scherlofsky (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Feb 18, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 17, 2020 by Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 18, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 4, 2021 by Henryk Rozanski (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 22, 2021 by High Treeson (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:202677-1)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5392883)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Echinops sphaerocephalus L.)