One Bad Ass Carrot. - Eryngium maritimum

When I was still but a wee lad, I liked to draw super villain action men. They would all have different powers and weapons and back stories, and although most of them were horribly drawn they almost all had one thing in common. Big nasty spikes. No self-respecting super villain could "strike fear into the hearts of many" without a healthy ration of spikey spikes radiating from his being. Sometimes my villains had spike-cannons, or maybe they wore their spikes on a laser-proof helmet, or maybe they were embedded in their skin after a freak spike-factory accident. Regardless, everyone knows the importance of spikes to the 21st century super villain. Even Sea Holly.



Now, I know Sea Holly (Eryngium maritimum) doesn't sound like a frightening or scary plant, but dang. One look at these super-spikey flowers eminating from a stem of cool steel-blue assures that these are among the most vicious of plants in the Garden Manscape. Eryngiums are members of the carrot family (Apiaceae), which makes this particular specimen the most bad ass carrot on the planet. Second in line of course is his cousin Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium). Be warned; the spikes of Eryngium maritimum are the real deal, so to avoid your fingers finding the business end of these little prison shanks, find yourself a good pair of leather gardening gloves. (I recommend "Bionic Gloves" out of Louisville, KY.)



Sea Holly is fairly tolerant of drought, so if you're not accustomed to placing the sprinklers every few days, these plants will maintain just fine. This makes them suitable for xeriscaping, which is essentially a wild word for "gardening without watering". The delicate flowers will re-bloom all season, so dead-heading will only serve to expedite the process. They'll get somewhere in the range of 2-3' high and are best towards the middle/front of the planting border to ensure their visibility. You'll also want to keep most all Eryngiums out of the shade, as most plants in the carrot family prefer a healthy dose of sun. Sandy soils are particularly good for Sea Holly, as they are a bit prone to root rot in overly wet environments. Also, they are listed as hardy to Zone 5, but as always with the proper placement I have seen them thrive in Zone 4 (Minneapolis).



As a horticultural super villain, Eryngium maritimum has no weakness. From its gnarly spiked armor to its steel blue coating, Sea Holly is immune to sun, sand, and pansy-ness. This may well be among the most qualified plants in the Garden Manscape, and as such deserves a lair of its own in every landscape. Be sure. This is one bad ass carrot.




photo credit:
1] http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/pics/9/8409/57771/popup.jpg
2] http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Eryngium_maritimum-01_(xndr).jpg
3]http://www.perryhillnurseries.co.uk/Catalogue/Perennials/images/EryngiumplanumParadiseJackpot.jpg
4]http://bie.ala.org.au/species/images/1612545.jpg