A small universe in my heart - Echinops

 There are flowers that are a bit larger but interesting looking, like the "Dokebi-pul" (goblin weeds) found in wild fields. Echinops is a flower that looks like a small universe extending in all directions, a wonderful and colorful fireworks that decorates the night sky. Today, we will learn about this Echinops, which is often used as an accent flower that makes flower decorations more unique.

 

Mysterious blue-purple Echinops ( Image by Peter from Pixabay)

 

What about Echinops?

 This flower, called by the unfamiliar name 'Jeolgutdae' in Korea, is a type of rather common herb distributed across a wide area from Europe, Central Asia, and Africa. It is known that there are about 120 types worldwide, and they are also found in Korea. It belongs to the Asteraceae and its scientific name is 'Echinops bannaticus', but in English-speaking countries it is called 'Echinops', 'Blue glow', 'Globe thistle', etc.

 The Echinops pictured above is before it blooms, and has a unique shape in which round ball pins bloom into flowers one by one. The color is green at first, but gradually changes to blue-purple. It has leaves that look like holly leaves and has a somewhat rough texture, so be careful not to hurt your hands when handling it.

 In Korea, it is a plant that can overwinter in the open all over the country, so it is often used as a herb to decorate gardens. Flowers bloom from late summer to fall, and in the case of Echinops, which is native to Europe, it is known to grow as small as 60cm to as large as 180cm.

 The stems are rather thick and hard, so they do not lose their shape even after drying, so they are often used as dried flowers.

 

Flowered Echinops ( Image by Monika Hříbalová from Pixabay)

 

 

Uses of Echinops for florist

 Echinops is a welcome gift for florists who are tired of caring for flowers during the hot summer months. Even in the cut flower state, it lasts for about two weeks at room temperature, so it is easy to use, and many people purchase this unique flower on its own, which is truly appreciated.

 In the wholesale market, they are sold in cut flowers, packaged in bundles about 30 to 60 cm long, and because the stems do not extend straight, they are often bundled in plastic. The trick is to choose ones that have a lot of flowers and are well distributed in appropriate locations. Also, in the wholesale market, most of them are distributed in an unbloomed state as shown in the top photo, and it is rare to see them blooming as in the photo below, and in flower shops, they are more often sold to consumers as is in an unbloomed state. .

 Although the stems are thick and strong, if you do not change the water and wash the stems every day, there is a high risk of mold growing. Therefore, care must be taken with conditioning, such as removing leaves to allow good ventilation between the stems.

 In flower bouquets, it is often used to set the outline of the point, but in a centerpiece, it gives a slightly unsophisticated feel when used as a point to hold the shape, so using it as a mass or filler flower in the form of a lump can give a much more sophisticated feel. there is. Additionally, if you use it as a material for formal linear design or landscape design, it can be a good choice to demonstrate your unique imagination.