Eryngium ternatum aka Eryngium

Eryngium ternatum belongs to the carrot family, Apiaceae. It is a perennial, a plant that lives for years. Kew gives its native range as western and central Crete. Kew also classes its climate as subtropical. The RHS states that it is not native to Britain or Ireland. Plants For A Future says it grows in dry places. These records place it in a dry, subtropical setting. They do not show how much frost it can withstand.

Plants For A Future gives a height of 2 feet [0.6 metres]. The evidence gives no mature width or clear growth form. It gives no leaf, stem, or root details for this species. The RHS page covers the genus, not just this species. Those wider traits cannot describe this plant on their own. The records give no flower colour or fruit form for it. They also give no time of year when it blooms.

Its flowers have both male and female organs. Plants For A Future says the species is self-fertile. This means it can set seed with its own pollen. Bees, flies, and beetles bring pollen to the flowers. This shows that insects play a part in how it breeds. It does not show which insects visit most often. The evidence gives no more facts about its seeds or fruit. Nor does it say how the plant spreads in the wild.

Plants For A Future lists sand and loam as suitable soils. It says the plant needs soil that drains well. Its entry includes soils with low levels of nutrients. The plant accepts soils that are mildly acid or mildly alkaline. It also accepts neutral soil. The entry rules out shade and lists dry or moist soil. The plant can cope with strong winds, but not coastal exposure. The record lists garden beds as a place to grow it. Yet the source warns that little is known about growing it. Its extra growing notes draw on the whole genus. No one knows its hardiness in Britain from these records. Thus, they support no firm hardiness rating.

Plants For A Future lists no known food use. It notes a past use as an aphrodisiac, to boost sexual desire. The evidence here does not show that this works. This record is not medical advice. The supplied texts list no other uses. The source lists no known hazards, but this does not prove safety. It flags no risk of the plant becoming a weed. The evidence gives no pest or disease details for this species.