Wildflower of Ireland - Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) 1 of 2
Mauve/blue-coloured florets, clustered into tight flowerheads at the top of a long stem. Ovate leaves form a basal rosette. Devil’s-bit scabious is the food plant of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly, Ireland’s only legally-protected insect species and its late-flowering blossoms are an important source of nectar for late-flying bees, butterflies, hoverflies. The critically-endangered bee Andrena marginata is dependent on this plant’s pollen and nectar to line its nest. Devil’s-bit scabious may be found in grassy habitats and in late Summer, this plant creates a beautiful blue haze in meadows and marshes.
Devil's-bit scabious gets its Latin name - 'Scabere', meaning to scratch - from its traditional use as a treatment for skin conditions, such as scabies and the sores of bubonic plague, A tea was made using this plant which was used for the treatment of coughs, fevers and internal inflammations.
Its common name arises from the fact that its roots look truncated, as if bitten off, legend has it, by the Devil.
Wildflower of Ireland - Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) 1 of 2
Mauve/blue-coloured florets, clustered into tight flowerheads at the top of a long stem. Ovate leaves form a basal rosette. Devil’s-bit scabious is the food plant of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly, Ireland’s only legally-protected insect species and its late-flowering blossoms are an important source of nectar for late-flying bees, butterflies, hoverflies. The critically-endangered bee Andrena marginata is dependent on this plant’s pollen and nectar to line its nest. Devil’s-bit scabious may be found in grassy habitats and in late Summer, this plant creates a beautiful blue haze in meadows and marshes.
Devil's-bit scabious gets its Latin name - 'Scabere', meaning to scratch - from its traditional use as a treatment for skin conditions, such as scabies and the sores of bubonic plague, A tea was made using this plant which was used for the treatment of coughs, fevers and internal inflammations.
Its common name arises from the fact that its roots look truncated, as if bitten off, legend has it, by the Devil.