Pulsatilla

Pasque flower. Super attractive when in bud, covered in silky hairs. Often large, brightly coloured flowers, over delicately fern-like foliage. Even the feathery seed heads extend the interest of this excellent plant. A native of Eastern England across Northern Europe to the Ukraine. Best in a well drained soil in full sun. Good on chalk soils. Pulsatilla maybe a corruption of paschal, from Hebrew, meaning passion, referring to the Easter period, typically when these plants are in flower.

Providing nectar and masses of pollen to visiting pollinators, pasque-flowers all attract honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees, as well as providing attractive flowers and beautiful plumed seed-heads for the gardener's interest. P. vulgaris is a sadly declining native plant of chalk and limestone grassland, and cultivation of the wild-type could be an important tool for conserving the species.