What makes the globe thistle plant so special?

Asteraceae, genus Echinops.

The globe thistle is mainly distributed in the Tianshan region of Xinjiang, and is also widely distributed in the Soviet Union and central and southern Europe.

The globe thistle is a perennial herb, 50-150 cm tall. The globe thistle has a single stem, with thick stems and branches covered in dense long jointed hairs and sparse cobweb-like thin hairs.

The basal and lower stem leaves of the globe thistle are broadly lanceolate in overall shape, with pinnate leaves half-lobed, spiny small teeth along the leaf margins, and acuminate leaf tips; the leaves gradually become smaller from the base to the tip of the plant; the leaves are relatively thin in texture, papery to the touch, and differ in color between the upper and lower surfaces, with the upper surface green and covered in dense short rough hairs, and the lower surface grayish white and covered in thin cobweb-like woolly hairs; the globe thistle flowers are light blue or white, with a deeply lobed corolla whose lobes are linear. The globe thistle achene is obconical, with the fruit surface covered in dense yellow, appressed, long straight hairs; the flowering and fruiting period is August-September.

The globe thistle has very strong adaptability, tolerates arid climates and poor soil, prefers cool climates and well-drained, airy sandy loam, and strictly avoids hot, wet, and waterlogged environments; extensive management is enough. Planted in masses, the globe thistle can be used in flower borders to increase ornamental value; planted on both sides of roads, it can soften harsh road curves.