Echinops (Globe Thistle) in Zone 6a & 6b

Echinops ritro

When to plant echinops (globe thistle) in zone 6b

Zones 6a and 6b 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 6's season

Zone 6b's frost-free window runs about 173 days, from April 25 to October 15. 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 6b 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 6b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.

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