# Baldwin's Eryngo (*eryngium baldwinii*)

Baldwin's Eryngo is a unique plant with spiky blue-green leaves and striking purple flowers. It attracts many butterflies and bees, making it a delightful addition to gardens!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** Wetlands and coastal areas.
- **Also known as:** Baldwin's Eryngium, Baldwin's Sea Holly

![Baldwin's Eryngo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eryngium_baldwinii_276499635.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eryngium_baldwinii_276499635.jpg)

## Appearance

The Baldwin'S Eryngo is a distinctive perennial with stiff, spiny green leaves resembling thistles. Its unique cone-shaped flower heads, about an inch wide, are typically whitish-green and surrounded by sharp, pointed bracts, making it visually stand out.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Apiales
- **Family:** Apiaceae
- **Genus:** Eryngium

## Interesting facts

- Even its stiff leaves can help trap morning dew, providing extra moisture.
- Its flower heads look like tiny, spiky futuristic pinecones!
- Some people call it Baldwin's Button Snakeroot because of its shape.
- This plant belongs to the carrot family, but you definitely wouldn't want to eat its leaves!

## Special abilities

- **Spiky Sentinel:** Baldwin'S Eryngo has sharp, thistle-like leaves that deter hungry animals from munching on it, helping it survive.
- **Water-Loving Roots:** Baldwin'S Eryngo can thrive in wet, sometimes flooded soils thanks to its adaptable root system, surviving where others can't.
- **Pollinator Party-Starter:** Baldwin'S Eryngo's unique, textured flower heads act as a landing pad and food source, attracting many different insect pollinators.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 15-40 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar from its flowers.
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Actively visits the flower heads for nectar.
- **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Feeds on nectar from its various flowers.

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Baldwin's Eryngo?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Baldwin's Eryngo?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Baldwin's Eryngo spread?

15-40 cm

### How big are the flowers on Baldwin's Eryngo?

1-2.5 cm

### When does Baldwin's Eryngo bloom?

Late summer to fall

### Is Baldwin's Eryngo edible?

No

### Is Baldwin's Eryngo toxic?

None

### What is Baldwin's Eryngo's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Sandsprit Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sandsprit-park) — Florida, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Baldwin's Eryngo: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/baldwins-eryngo)