Miss Willmott's Ghost (Eryngium giganteum)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Biennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 7b
Plant Height:	2-4 feet
Plant Spread:	1-3 feet
Leaves:	Unusual foliage color
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Blue White Other: Silvery Blue
Bloom Size:	2"-3"
Flower Time:	Summer Late summer or early fall
Underground structures:	Taproot
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic
Uses:	Cut Flower Dried Flower Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant:	Butterflies
Resistances:	Deer Resistant Rabbit Resistant
Propagation: Other methods:	Division
Containers:	Suitable in 1 gallon Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Miscellaneous:	With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth

Common names

Miss Willmott's Ghost
Giant Sea Holly

Photo Gallery

Location: Salisbury, England
Date: 2023-07-16

Uploaded by Ylis

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2018-07-15

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: My garden, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; zone 3.
Date: 2013-08-12

Uploaded by growitall

Location: Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2023-08-19
Miss Willmott's Ghost (Eryngium giganteum) seeds harvesting.

Uploaded by janelp_lee

Location: Botanical Garden Cologne (Germany)

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by Patty

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2016-08-09

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2023-07-13
Miss Willmott's Ghost (Eryngium giganteum).

Uploaded by janelp_lee

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2020-06-27

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: Botanical Garden of Amsterdam
Date: 2013-08-09

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Botanical Garden of Amsterdam
Date: 2017-06-17

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Stanton hall garden nursery, Northumberland UK
Date: 2023-05-21

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Washington 8b
Date: 2017-07-13

Uploaded by Patty

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2021-07-15

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by Patty

Location: Howick Hall, Northumberland, UK
Date: 2016-06-07

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by DianeSeeds

Location: Botanical Garden of Berlin
Date: 2012-07-23

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by Patty

Location: Home
Date: 2022-04-24
To help out, with proper I.D. of the seedlings, of cv. 'Miss Wilm

Uploaded by ShawnSteve

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Thornton Hall Gardens Co. Durham
Date: 2018-06-27
This bloom was shining on a beautiful, sunny day.

Uploaded by Yorkshirelass

Uploaded by MrsBinWY

Location: BG Meise (Belgium)
Date: 2015-10-24

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Montreal Botanical Garden
Date: 2019-08-07

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2016-07-27

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Botanical Garden Cologne (Germany)
Date: 2017-08-22

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2020-06-07

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by Patty

Location: Thames Barrier Park, London.
Date: July
credit: Bob Collowân

Uploaded by robertduval14

Photo credit: Dominicus Johannes Bergsma

Uploaded by robertduval14

Photo Courtesy of Select Seeds. Used with permission.

Uploaded by Joy

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2021-05-29
Self sown seedlings

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2021-05-29

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by 4susiesjoy

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by Ylis (Northern Sweden - Zone 4a) on Dec 28, 2023 4:32 PM concerning plant:

Since this plant is quite good at self-seeding, it has a tendency to wander around the garden over the years until it finds optimal growing conditions. It is not unlikely that one might find more seedlings in the lawn than in the spot where they were intentionally planted.

If they are not cut, the dried seed pods and leaves have a quite beautiful sculptural appearance in the winter, especially in areas with snow.

Reply to this comment
Posted by scvirginia on May 7, 2023 11:30 AM concerning plant:

This plant is associated with Ellen Wilmott, a famous plantswoman and one of the first women with a leadership position in Britain's Royal Horticultural Society.

In the early 20th Century, she had a habit of visiting other people's gardens, and surreptitiously sowing seeds of this plant, which is a bit of a self-seeding thug (at least in English growing conditions). It's thought that she was trying to introduce a more naturalistic gardening style by sabotaging formal gardens, but I'd like to think she also just liked the effect of this plant in gardens. At any rate, this plant had a way of 'haunting' the gardens she visited, hence the nickname, 'Miss Wilmott's Ghost'.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
MrsBinWY	On February 3, 2017	Seeds sown Milk jug, room temp, seeds from 2016G, 25; gave up on these on 4-24-17
lovesblooms	On March 1, 2020	Seeds sown winter sow
lovesblooms	On February 24, 2018	Seeds sown winter sown
ShawnSteve	On August 8, 2022	Transplanted Can't be separated until dormant.
ShawnSteve	On April 24, 2022	Potted up Seedlings, with first "true leaf" to help with proper I.D.
ShawnSteve	On March 30, 2022	Seeds germinated From Select Seeds, most likely through Jelitto's. (Sown in January, upon receipt of seed order.)
ShawnSteve	On January 16, 2022	Seeds sown Ex. Select Seeds. In preparation before stratfication.
ShawnSteve	On May 25, 2021	Miscellaneous Event
ShawnSteve	On May 11, 2021	Seeds sown Cultivar, 'Miss Wilmott's Ghost' from Jane. Seed is still fairly fresh, & trying again, as had no success with older, 'Silver Ghost' seeds. Using cold stratification, after a few weeks of treatment at room temperature. Then will attempt with exposure to warmth.
SuperHappyCamper	On September 5, 2023	Obtained plant Obtained seed from janelp_lee.

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Not E giganteum by kniphofia	Jul 20, 2018 10:30 AM	2

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Eryngium Miss Willmott's Ghost (Eryngium giganteum)

Eryngium
Miss Willmott's Ghost (Eryngium giganteum)