Devil's Bit Scabious

Devil's Bit Scabious Seeds

Succisa pratensis
Blue ball, blue bonnets, blue kiss, blue scabious, curl daddy, fore-bit, fore-bitten-more, ofbit, ofbitten, blue buttons, blue caps

The pincushion-like, lilac-blue flower heads of Devil's-bit scabious attract a wide variety of butterflies and bees. A clump-forming, spreading perennial, with a basal rosette of slender, oval, green leaves, the branched stems bearing solitary light purple, pincushion-like flowerheads 2cm across, in summer and autumn.

This is not only an excellent plant for drawing in insects, especially bees and butterflies; after flowering, birds will visit the seed heads. Devil's-bit scabious is noted for being the larval food plant of the nationally rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly (pictured).

Contents: Approximately 160 seeds

Average height: 50- 80cm
Aspect: Full sun or partial shade
Soil type: wet or dry grassland and heath on acid or basic soils - clay, loam, sand, chalk
Sowing time: Early spring
Flowering period: July-October
Colour: purple-blue

Direct sow into scarified grass or bare soil. Cut back in autumn; Readily self-seeds.

Grows in any moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade, ideal for peaty soil that is moist during spring and summer.

Our packaging is made from FSC recycled cardboard and environmentally friendly inks. The seed bags are waxed paper or compostable starch to keep seeds in the best condition during storage.