Hello, new poster here. Last August I bought a small eringuium zabelli (blue sea holly) and am after some help with it. I did research on it and know it requires sunlight, good drainage etc. However after looking in a bad way during winter, it sprung into life in spring with some growth. However it now appears to have gone the other way again.. the leaves are turning yellow again and curling up (I have cut the yellowing leaves off) . I spoke to where I bought it from and they told me nothing in the pictures gives them any cause for concern and that it looks fine, although they said ideally it shouldn't be in a pot. What do you think?? Thanks for any advice.
Hi @ChrisGo i think I have to agree with the garden centre.. It could well be pot bound as well.. They are large hungry perennials and usually form clumps... I have a large clump which are just turning blue now and standing about 4’ tall.. If you can’t get it in the ground you could try a huge pot but they are a large border plant.. For now I would re pot it and keep it fed and watered while we have this heaths well.. I hope that helps..
Hiya ChrisGo, For sure it is struggling there in that pot. It also appears to me to be overwatered.....it could be because of being in a pot and thus the soil being too wet. Eryngiums do not like to be moved....they form a long tap root. Here I have a group in the hottest, driest part of the garden.....in such conditions both foliage and flowers have a more intense blue colouring. I have another group where soil is better but still free draining. If necessary, I will move other plants there but not the eryngiums Can you, carefully,replant into the garden? It really wont like it in a pot, even a large one, I think and will never look great in one. It will look superb for years to come if in the ground, in the sun and where drainage is very good. Whether you move it to a bigger pot or into the soil, try not to disturb the roots too much
Thanks for both of your replies. Unfortunately as I will be moving house in a year planting into the garden is not really an option.. I will try as best I can to keep the plant going in the pot.. I too have seen the importance on drainage for this plant.. perhaps there are options to improve the drainage in this situation.. I chose soil for the pot that I was told was well suited for the plant. If there are any suggestions to improve drainage please let me know.
I grow various Eryngiums but not the 1 you have, however I expect most will like the same conditions, poor dry and sunny,. If it is a no to planting it in the garden then I would be inclined to carefully repot into a bigger pot and put lots of stones/crocks wide gauge gravel in the bottom of the pot. Keep the pot in as sunny a spot as you have, that should not be a problem with the summer we are having! and don't be tempted to water it until it really looks dry. We have had no rain whatsoever since the middle of May and I have been watering my garden 24/7 but given no water to my Eryngiums, all look fine despite being tinder dry.
Silu is correct, eryngiums here are not watered. Under the circumstances and if mine, I would mix 50/50 John Innes and horticultural grit (or perlite) and repot into this. Water in and then resist watering and cossetting.
