Eryngium creticum aka Eryngo

Eryngium creticum, called eryngo, belongs to the carrot family, Apiaceae. Its native range includes southeastern Europe, the Balkans and Aegean. PFAF also lists it across parts of western Asia and Egypt. These records include Cyprus, Turkey, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The RHS records it as non-native to Britain and Ireland. It grows in fields and rocky ground, often on dry soil.

This plant reaches about 2 feet [0.6 metres] in height. It is a short-lived perennial, though some plants last less time. They may grow as annuals or biennials instead. Its basal leaves provide the edible part of the plant. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees, flies and beetles pollinate the flowers. The species is also self-fertile. The supplied sources give no species-level flower colour or fruit details.

Grow eryngo in full sun with soil that drains well. It does not grow in shade. Sandy soil suits it, but loam also works. It tolerates poor gravel and soils that contain lime. The soil can be mildly acid, neutral or mildly alkaline. PFAF lists both dry and moist soil as suitable. It can grow in cultivated beds, including those with poor soil. Set young plants in their lasting place while still small. Moving them later can harm roots, which dislike disturbance.

Seed offers one way to raise new plants. Sow fresh seed in early autumn, or sow in spring. Place it on the surface of free-draining compost in a cold frame. Germination can take five to ninety days at 20°C. Move seedlings into separate pots once large enough to handle. PFAF advises keeping them in a greenhouse through their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after expected frosts. Division is possible in spring or autumn, but risks root damage. Root cuttings offer another option in autumn or winter.

Young basal leaves can be cooked and eaten. PFAF gives the plant a low food-use rating. It also records a traditional use for snakebite. That record does not establish a safe or effective treatment. PFAF lists no known hazards, but this does not prove safety. The supplied evidence names no pests or diseases. It also gives no hardiness rating. PFAF does not flag the species as weedy.