Globeflower

Globeflower: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Clump about 70 cm tall in flower and 45 cm wide, with upright flower stems.

Leaves

Hand-shaped and deeply cut into five lobes, glossy dark green.

Flower

Globe- to cup-shaped, 3–6 cm across, at the top of sturdy stems. The coloured parts are actually sepals.

Colour

Lemon yellow, golden yellow or orange.

Roots

Fibrous and dense; they cannot stand drying out.

Flowering: May–June · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: June–July

Why grow it?

• Bright, globe-shaped flowers in May and June, a striking colour in late spring.
• One of the best flowering plants for wet, heavy soil beside a pond or stream.
• A lovely cut flower for a spring bouquet.
• Bees visit the flowers for pollen and nectar.
• Fully hardy and long-lived in the right spot.

Globeflower: where does it grow best?

• Sun or half shade; in full sun only if the soil stays really moist.
• Rich loam, clay or peaty soil; acid, neutral or chalky makes little difference.
• Moist to wet: ideal at a pond edge, along a stream or in a moist border. It does not tolerate drying out well.
• Plant 40–45 cm apart.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Loam, clay or peat

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Wet

Size

0.7 m tall, 0.45 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Siberian iris: Blue or purple flowers at the same time, on the same moist soil.
• Japanese primrose: Whorls of pink and red flowers in May and June, in the half shade nearby.
• Water forget-me-not: Small sky-blue flowers as a contrast to the yellow and orange.
• Hosta: Large leaves that keep the spot attractive after flowering.
• Purple loosestrife: Takes over in summer once the globeflower has finished.

Globeflower: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or in September–October.
2. Work plenty of compost or well-rotted manure into the soil so that it holds moisture.
3. Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball and set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot.
4. Leave 40–45 cm between plants.
5. Water in well and keep the soil moist for the first few weeks.
6. Spread a layer of compost or leaf mould around the plant.

Care

Water

Never let it dry out: water generously in dry spells, also after flowering.

Feeding

In spring a layer of compost or well-rotted manure.

Mulching

A layer of compost keeps the soil cool and moist.

After flowering

Cut back the flower stems; in moist soil a small second flush sometimes follows.

Cut flowers

Cut the stems when the flowers are just opening and put them in water straight away.

Gloves

Wear gloves when cutting back and dividing: the sap can irritate the skin.

Tip: In June, cut back the faded stems and old leaves and then water well: you will get fresh new leaves and, in moist soil, sometimes a small second flush.

Globeflower: when to prune it?

Pruning months: June–July.

When: After flowering, in June or July. Otherwise it needs hardly any pruning.

How:

• Cut the faded flower stems back to just above the leaves.
• Also cut away untidy or withered leaves after flowering: fresh new leaves will follow.
• After cutting back, water and give a little compost for a chance of repeat flowering.
• Wear gloves: the sap can irritate the skin.

Caution: Do not let the plant dry out after cutting back: without water there will be no new leaves and no second flush.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In September or in March, just before growth starts, split a clump with a spade into pieces with roots and buds and replant them straight away.

Seed

Sow fresh seed in summer or autumn in a pot and leave it outside. It germinates slowly and erratically, often only after a winter; seedlings of cultivars do not always resemble the parent.

Globeflower: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The leaves largely die back in winter; the buds overwinter at ground level.
• In a pot or container: keep the compost slightly moist in winter too and stand it in a sheltered spot.

Diseases and pests

• Drying out: Brown, withered leaves and few flowers. Water generously, mulch, or move it to a wetter spot.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, especially after flowering and in dry weather. Cut off affected leaves and keep the soil moist.
• Slugs: Eat young leaves and buds in spring. Pick them off in the evening.
• Few flowers: In too dry or too shady a spot, or in an old, congested clump. Move it or divide the clump.

Through the year

• March: Plant or divide. Give compost or manure.
• April: New leaves and buds. Watch for slugs.
• May: Flowering starts. Cut flowers for the vase.
• June: Full flower. Cut back the faded stems.
• July: Cut back and water generously for a second flush.
• August: Never let it dry out. Watch for powdery mildew.
• September: Plant and divide.
• October: Plant.

Edible and useful

Not edible. All parts of globeflower are poisonous, especially when fresh: as in the buttercups its flowers resemble, the sap contains acrid compounds that cause a burning feeling in the mouth, vomiting and stomach ache, and redness and itching on the skin. Do not let children put the flowers in their mouths, and keep dogs and cats away from the plant. Horses, cows and sheep usually leave the fresh plant alone, but never throw trimmings or faded stems into a field or pen, and do not plant it in or beside a field. Wear gloves when cutting back, dividing and cutting flowers for a vase. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The coloured parts of the globe are actually sepals; the true petals are narrow nectar-bearing strips inside the flower.
• In the wild, the European globeflower is pollinated by tiny flies that crawl into the closed flower to lay their eggs; their larvae eat some of the seeds.
• The wild European globeflower grows in damp mountain meadows and hay meadows.