Flowers , Scabious 'Devil's Bit' (Autumn Planting)

Succisa pratensis,  Autumn Planting Perennial, Provides nectar for hoverflies, bees & butterflies & is famously the larval food plant of the rare marsh fritillary. Valued for its Late summer flowering (August  to Oct) & unusual colour, this perennial provides a vivid shot of blue in borders & meadows with its distinctive dark violet-blue, roundish ‘pincushion’ flower-head backed by green bracts. The leaves are dark green & often blotched with purple. It is so named because its short black roots end abruptly as though bitten off by the devil, angry at the plant's ability to cure afflictions & sores of the skin (used to treat scabies, caused by the Bubonic Plague) HT: 2-3 ft. Hardy perennial, Great Cut or Dried too., Seed Count Approx - 45 to 50 avg 

 SOWING - They do best in cooler positions & overwinter well on wet ground. Sow where they are to flower in autumn but can also be sown into pots & into a coldframe until spring. Germination is usually around 2 to 4 weeks but can occasionally be erratic.