Erinacea anthyllis
Published by Daniel Mosquin on January 22, 2007
Family / Families: Fabaceae
Scientific Name(s): Erinacea anthyllis Link.
Institution(s): E.H. Lohbrunner Alpine Garden, University of British Columbia Botanical Garden
Accession Number(s): 1975-0475
Location(s): Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Entry Author(s): Daniel Mosquin
Copyright Holder(s): Daniel Mosquin
Image License: Creative Commons License
Tags: Fabaceae, Fabales, Photo by Daniel, UBC Botanical Garden

The flowers of the spiny Erinacea anthyllis
Erinacea anthyllis, or hedgehog broom, was previously featured on Botany Photo of the Day in Nov. 2005: Erinacea anthyllis.
Its distribution in the western Mediterranean region includes populations in Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada (Sierra Nevada National Park) near Granada, Spain.
Read More | 8 Comments
Daniel,
I love this site. I originally found you over a year ago via the Mac OS X dashboard widget listed on Apple’s website, and have been visiting nearly every day since. I’ve also added a number of plants to my garden that I originally saw here on BPotD and then happened to run across at the local nursery, including a young Melliodendron xylocarpum tree! Thank you for providing these wonderful photos and stories.
In addition to those words of praise, I also have a confused question. The link you posted to the Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada directs to a park in Venezuela, but your text says it is near Granada, Spain. Can you clarify which is correct?
Erinacea anthyllis – Z8 – RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths
Having quoted Griffiths and posted the above I suggest you refer to the posting in Nov. 2005, clicking on the reference in Daniel’s writing and check out the comment of Brent Hine regarding hardiness.
Cody, thanks for the kind words. You’re absolutely right about that link – I’ve changed it to something more appropriate (I didn’t know there were two national parks in the world with the same name). That’s what I get for trying to write something when I’m tired after a day with a presentation and travelling. Ah well.
Sky blue hedgehog bloom
Foliage spiky like a broom
And a hedgehog groom?
Is this broom as aggressive as Cytisus scoparius?
Eric, no, not that we’ve observed in 30+ years of growing it (though of course this information is only applicable locally). It barely even produces seed.
Whatever you do, don’t pat it! Ouch!