Echinops (Globe Thistle) in Zone 3a & 3b

Echinops ritro

When to plant echinops (globe thistle) in zone 3b

Zones 3a and 3b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. Echinops (Globe Thistle) needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.

Spacing: about 2 square feet per plant (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 2.5-4 ft.

Echinops, or globe thistle, is a perennial thistle relative grown for its perfectly round, metallic-blue flower globes, a shape that reads as almost artificial and holds up beautifully as a dried flower.

How echinops (globe thistle) fits zone 3's season

Zone 3b's frost-free window runs about 98 days, from May 30 to September 5. Echinops (Globe Thistle) needs about 365 days from transplant to first harvest.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Echinops (Globe Thistle).

Where to buy echinops seeds

• Botanical Interests
• True Leaf Market
• Burpee
• High Mowing Organic Seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

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See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing echinops (globe thistle)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 3b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

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Growing Echinops (Globe Thistle) in USDA zone 3b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.

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