Cutflower - Eryngium planum

Best seller 2009
Eryngium planum
"Blue Glitter"
Flowering period: April - October

Height 50 - 75 cm
Spread: 25 - 50 cm
Habit: Upright
Flower type: Double
Leaf Color Light Green
Placement: Sun
Water Medium to low
Fertilizer need: Medium to low
Plant type: Perennial

Class Best seller 2009

ERYNGIUM PLANUM, FLAT SEA HOLLY 'Blue Glitter'

The world's first FastraX Eryngium, 'Blue Glitter' adds stature to the perennial garden and longer vase life to arrangements. Long lived 'Blue Glitter' performs year after year. At 36-40" (90-100 cm) 'Blue Glitter' adds height in the back of a perennial border and stem length for fresh and dried cut flower production.
Eryngium 'Blue Glitter' has silver blue stems that unfold into an abundance of small shimmering blue pincushion flowers. The interesting texture and color draw attention in the garden and in arrangements.
Durable, 'Blue Glitter' performs in a variety of climates, but truly thrives in hot, sunny conditions. Preferring rich fertile soils but tolerant in more demanding settings, 'Blue Glitter' adapts to almost any setting that has well drained soils.
The small blue flowers are easy to pack and ship. The long stems and multitude of small flowers can be used fresh or dried. When combined with Helianthus 'Solara', Scabiosa 'Fama'® and Echinacea 'Primadonna White', the unique flowers of 'Blue Glitter' yield a natural look to mixed bouquets.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Life Cycle:   Perennial

Familiy, Origin:   Apiaceae, Mediterranean, Mountains Europe

Sitelocation:   Full sun

Garden Height:   95 cm     37,4 inch

Crop Time:   Plug crop (green): 6-8 weeks, flowering plants: 22-24 weeks, overwintering plants flowering 10-12 months

Sell Period:   June-October

Seed Form:   Raw Seed

Sowing Time:   December-March for fl wering plants from June-August. July-August for larger flowering plants in the following year

Sowing Method:   December-March for fl wering plants from June-August. July-August for larger flowering plants in the following year

Germination:   24-30 days at 18-24 °C. Cover seed with vermiculite, sand or substrate after sowing. Use media with very low soluble sand levels and pH 6.0-7.5. Keep soil slightly moist but not wet. Plug culture: From Stage II reduce soil moisture, but the plug should not dry out and reduce the temperature to 18-20 °C. Do not let soluble salt level rise above 0,75 EC. Start fertilization at 50-75 ppm nitrogen in a well balanced formula. During Stage III and Stage IV fertilization levels can be increased to 150-200 ppm.

Plug Culture:   From Stage II reduce the soil moisture, but the plug should not dry out and reduce the temperature to 18-20 °C. Do not let soluble salt level rise above 0,75 EC. Start fertilization at 50-75 ppm nitrogen in a well balanced formula. During Stage III and Stage IV fertilization levels can be increased to 150-200 ppm.

Growing On:   6-9 weeks after germination transplant 1 plant into a pot (12-14 cm). Plant cut flowers (frost free) in 30x40 cm space or transplant 3-4 plants into a container (25-40 l). For cut flower production cultivate in container in order to simplify culture control because of the container's mobility.

Media:   Use a well-drained, growing perennial substrate, pH: 6.0-7.5. Field: humus, sandy loamy soils with good drainage.

Photoperiod / Light:   Long day plant. Keep light level high.

Temperature:   Grow at 15-18 °C or outdoors. In winter indoors frost free at 3-5 °C or outdoors. Outdoor fleece cover needed. In spring the plants start to grow at 12-18 °C or outdoors at ambient conditions. Containers can be stored in cold storage and set up in intervals for forcing afterwards.

Fertilization:   High fertilization levels are required.

Cut Flowers:   Cut flower stems can be harvested, when the flowers are just half open. Remove the soft lateral shoots. Vase life: 12-16 days. Cold storage is possible. The stems can be harvested for dried flowers, when the flowers are fully open.

Cultural Hints:   Cut flower production outdoors can be controlled by planting in intervals or mowing the plant partly in summer. The flowering starts, depending on season, after 100-150 days. Eryngium are very sensitive to wetness.

* Germination Stages (from seed to finished young plant)
Stage I: Starts with the radicle breaking through the testa. The roots are touching the medium. Ends with fully developed cotyledons.
Stage II: Starts from fully developed cotyledons. Ends with the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair.
Stage III: Starts from the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair and ends with 80% of the young plants being marketable.
Stage IV: All young plants are ready for sale and in the process of being hardened off. This stage lasts about 7 days.

Hint:
The cultural recommendations are based on results from trials conducted under Central European conditions. Different conditions in other parts of the world may lead to deviations in results achieved.

Instructions
http://www.benary.com/data/documents/Instructions1.pdf

FastraX Folder International
http://www.benary.com/index.cfm/startid/153.html