Leaf
Alain Bigou, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Devil's-bit scabious
Succisa pratensis (L.) Moench
Also known as: Devil's bit
Family: Caprifoliaceae
30 to 80 cm tall
Damp meadows, gardens, moist soils
Flowering: July – October
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its root ends abruptly as if it had been bitten off, which earned it its legendary nickname 'devil's bit'.
🍃 Leaves
Ovate, entire, in a basal rosette
🌸 Flowers
Small, globular blue-violet flower heads, rich in nectar
🍎 Fruits
Achenes topped with a pappus
🪵 Bark
Basal tuft, upright, sparsely branched stems
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, western Asia; found in damp meadows in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Late blue-violet flower heads, host plant of the marsh fritillary (a protected butterfly), heavily visited by bees and butterflies in late summer.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Damp wildflower meadows, naturalistic borders; late flowering valuable for biodiversity.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity.
🌿 Other Caprifoliaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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