Globe thistle

Echinops

Hardy Perennial
Pollinator Plant
Drought Tolerant

Pet & Human Safety

People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them

Hazardous parts

No hazardous parts found.

Preparation

not applicable

Hazard type

Not yet checked.

Hazard route

not applicable

How complete this information is

The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets

No ASPCA entry found.

Listed as non-toxic by the source cited, at the scope stated in the source line. Eating a lot of any plant can still upset a pet. Scope of the source: whole-genus (Echinops spp.). ASPCA is the only source used, and one source cannot show a plant is safe, so no safe verdict is given. Keep dogs, cats and horses from eating it.

PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

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Care

Hardiness zones: USDA zones 3a-8b for Echinops ritro (NC State). RHS H7 (hardy in the severest European continental climates, below -20 C) for E. ritro subsp. ruthenicus. The systems are not converted.
Light: full sun
Water needs: low
Mature size: 3-4 ft tall and 2-2.5 ft wide (NC State); RHS gives 0.5-1 m tall for subsp. ruthenicus.
Family: Asteraceae (daisy family)
Where it comes from: Echinops ritro: central and southeastern Europe and central Asia, Albania to Uzbekistan and Xinjiang (NC State). It is not native to Great Britain or Ireland (RHS). E. spinosissimus: Mediterranean to south-west Asia (RHS).