About Eryngium leavenworthii Torr. & A.Gray
Eryngium leavenworthii, commonly called Leavenworth's eryngo, is an annual plant species in the Apiaceae family native to the central United States. This plant can grow up to 3 feet tall. It grows in dry rocky prairies, roadside fields, open woodlands, and waste areas, and is most often found growing in soils made of limestone or chalk. Its flowering period runs from July through September, though blooming may extend as late as November in some regions. Individual flower structures measure 1 1/2 inches to 3 inches in length, and approximately 1/2 inch in width. It is very often confused with thistle. The flowers grow on elongated stems above spiked leaves, forming tight cone-shaped clusters of purple or wine-colored blooms that look like small fuzzy pineapples. It was named for Melines Conklin Leavenworth (1796–1862), the botanist credited with its discovery.
