Big Blue Sea Holly (Eryngium x zabelii 'Big Blue')
air-ING-ee-um ex zabelii 'Big Blue'

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming in the Apiaceae Family
 
Buy Big Blue Sea Holly
Size Notes Price Availability
#1 gallon Field $19.02 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4

A Blooms of Bressingham selection with electric blue flower heads and silvery-blue stems, bred for extra-large, extra-vivid color in the sunny border.

'Big Blue' is a patented Eryngium x zabelii selection from the renowned British breeding house Blooms of Bressingham, chosen for its unusually large, intensely colored flower heads — up to 4in across — in a vivid electric blue that runs down the silvery-blue stems as well. It forms a tidy clump of spiky, deeply divided, silvery-green foliage, with branched flower stems rising above in summer.

Like other Eryngium, it's a tough, long-lived plant for lean, well-drained soil in full sun, where more sun brings out its deepest blue color.

Pros

  • Unusually large (up to 4in), intensely electric-blue flower heads
  • Blue color extends down the stems for extra garden impact
  • Excellent, long-lasting cut or dried flower
  • Highly drought-tolerant once established

Cons

  • Deep taproot resents transplanting or division once established
  • Spiny foliage and bracts make handling uncomfortable
  • Self-seeds if spent flower stems aren't removed
Highlights This is one of the most vividly colored Eryngium available, bred by Blooms of Bressingham specifically for an intense, electric blue that runs from the flower heads down through the stems — a standout in both the garden and a cut-flower vase, and it holds its color exceptionally well when dried.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 42 inches tall. 18 - 30 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry
Zones 5a - 9b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Dried Flowers, Low Maintenance, Non-Allergenic, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Hot Dry Site, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period Early Summer to Late Summer
Flower Color Electric Blue
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 04/13 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!