Eryngium campestre aka Field Eryngo

Eryngium campestre, or field eryngo, belongs to the carrot family, Apiaceae. Other names include Dane's flower and Dane's weed. This perennial comes from Europe, the Caucasus, and northwestern Africa. The RHS also records it as native to Britain and Ireland. It grows in dry grassland near coasts but is rare in Britain. Its native range spans temperate regions.

Plants reach about 2 feet (0.6 metres) tall. Their spread reaches about 1.6 feet (0.5 metres). Deep roots extend well beyond the plant's base. These roots can let it spread through a garden. Once settled, plants may prove hard to remove. Set young plants where they will stay, since moving them disturbs their roots. This also makes care during division important.

Flowers appear in July and August. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees, flies, and beetles pollinate them. The plant can also set seed through self-fertilisation. Gardeners use its flowers in dried arrangements, where their colour lasts well. It suits cultivated beds that offer the sun and drainage it needs.

Give field eryngo full sun and soil that drains well. It does not grow in shade. It favours sandy ground but also grows in loam. Poor gravel and lime-rich soils can suit it. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline conditions. Soil may be dry or moist, provided water drains away. The plant also tolerates exposed coastal sites. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 5–9. Sow ripe seed in early autumn, or sow in spring. Use a cold frame and compost that drains well. Grow seedlings under glass through their first winter. Plant them out after the last expected frost. Division is possible in spring or autumn, with care around roots.

Plants For A Future lists leaves, roots, and shoots as edible parts. Young shoots can be cooked as an asparagus substitute. Roots can be cooked as a vegetable or candied. The same source records traditional medicinal uses of the root. These include use for coughs and as a diuretic. Such records do not establish that these treatments work. The source reports no known hazards, but this does not prove universal safety.